Acting Under Secretary

Kumar Chandran
Acting Under Secretary

Kumar Chandran serves as Acting Under Secretary for the USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services where he works to carry forward the Biden-Harris Administration’s vision for reducing hunger, improving nutrition, and giving all Americans the best chance at a good life.

Prior to his appointment as Acting FNCS Under Secretary, Chandran played a critical role in the Biden-Harris Administration’s health and nutrition initiatives, serving first on the Biden-Harris Transition as part of the USDA Agency Review team and then as a Senior Advisor for Nutrition Policy in the Office of the Secretary.

Chandran has extensive experience in nutrition advocacy and public service, previously leading the policy work of the national non-profit FoodCorps. He also served as Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for the Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services during the Obama Administration, and he worked to fight hunger and improve nutrition through roles at Share Our Strength and California Food Policy Advocates (now Nourish California).

Chandran earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s degree from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and a Master of Public Health from the Tufts University School of Medicine.