Erik P. Mettler, MPA, MPH, Assistant Commissioner for Partnerships and Policy, Office of Partnerships and Operational Policy
Erik P. Mettler is Assistant Commissioner for Partnerships and Policy in the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA). He leads several of ORA’s activities, including partnerships, implementing new regulations, and overall strategic planning and priorities. Mr. Mettler also is responsible for providing long-range strategic direction for ORA policies and programs including the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
Mr. Mettler’s years of experience at the FDA give him a broad perspective on public health, policy, and administrative management along with an awareness of critical issues at all levels of the agency.
Most recently, Mr. Mettler served as the Associate Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine in the Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine (OFVM), where he was the deputy to the Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine. He was responsible for the overall strategic direction and leadership of food, cosmetic, and veterinary medicine programs, and provided risk-based priority setting and resource allocation systems in collaboration with the FDA centers. Mr. Mettler also served as director of the Office of Resource Planning and Strategic Management in OFVM, where he led cross-cutting resource and strategic management activities.
Prior to his positions in OFVM, Mr. Mettler served as the deputy director for management and deputy executive officer in the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products where he developed resource and operational plans. He began his FDA career as a public health advisor in the FDA’s Office of the Commissioner and was promoted to policy analyst/senior public health advisor.
Mr. Mettler also served in various roles at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Mr. Mettler earned a master’s degree in Public Health from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Georgia and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of New Mexico.