Press Office
Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

LINDA TOLLEFSON, D.V.M., PROMOTED TO REAR ADMIRAL

Dr. Linda Tollefson, Deputy Director, FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) was promoted to Rear Admiral (RADM) on August 1, 2001. Dr. Tollefson is believed to be the first female veterinarian in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps to reach the O-7 (RADM) rank.

Of the approximately 5,600 Commissioned Corps officers in the U.S. Public Health Service, only 54 have attained this rank.
As the CVM Deputy Director, RADM Tollefson is responsible for all the Center’s public health programs and international activities.

She is also responsible for the management and coordination of all Center projects under the National Food Safety Initiative - a program to reduce the incidence of foodborne disease through extensive collaboration among the U.S. Federal food safety agencies, State governments and private organizations.

Prior to becoming CVM's Deputy Director, RADM Tollefson served as Director of the Center’s Office of Surveillance and Compliance. In that capacity, RADM Tollefson was responsible for all FDA surveillance, regulatory compliance and enforcement activity related to veterinary medical drugs and devices and all activities, both pre-market and post-market, for FDA’s animal feed safety program.

A native of Indiana, RADM Tollefson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1976 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1980 from the University of Illinois and a Master of Public Health degree from The Johns Hopkins University in 1984 with special training in epidemiology and biostatistics. RADM Tollefson has authored numerous scientific articles and book chapters. RADM Tollefson is currently president-elect of the American Association of Food Hygiene Veterinarians.

####

FDA News Page   |   FDA Home Page