​Board Member, Former Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Department of Agriculture

ELVIS S. CORDOVA

Board Member, Cambio Consulting Group 

Mr. Cordova is a seasoned Executive with over 15 years of experience developing and implementing solutions for some of the most significant and high-profile challenges facing the U.S. agriculture sector. He has an intimate knowledge of the workings of the U.S. government, strong relationships with a range of economic policymakers around the globe in key markets, and a unique combination of political, legal, economic, and international expertise. He is a proven strategist and manager, adept at building coalitions and communicating effectively to diverse stakeholders.

Mr. Cordova was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve in various leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). He most recently served as the Deputy Under Secretary for the Marketing and Regulatory Programs at USDA from 2014 until 2017 where he oversaw food labeling programs (including organic and biotechnology), international trade regulations, and the expansion local and regional food systems. He also served on the White Task Force for Puerto Rico, focusing on building public-private partnerships. Mr. Cordova was a Presidential Management Fellow at the Farm Credit Administration and at the U.S. Department of Energy where his work encompassed alternative energy, economic development, financial services, and congressional & public affairs. 
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Outside of the federal government, his positions include Vice President of Public Relations at Tzolkin Media Inc., Director for Latin American programs at the Self Reliance Foundation, and consultant for the United Nations where he focused on trade development strategies for emerging markets. Mr. Cordova began his career as a financial analyst at the Harvard Management Company.

He is a recipient of the Woodrow Wilson Graduate Fellowship, holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University. He also holds various professional certificates from Georgetown University, Harvard University, University of California at Berkeley, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain), Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina), École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État (France), and Pontificia Universidade Catolica (Brazil).
Mr. Cordova presently lives in Alexandria, VA.  He has previously lived in Latin America and Europe. His languages include Spanish, Portuguese, and French.