Colien Hefferan
Administrator
Office of the Administrator
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
1400 Independence Av. S.W., Stop 2201
Washington, D.C. 20250-2201

Colien Hefferan became administrator of Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service on October 7, 2000. She joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1979 as an economist with the Family Economics Research Group, Agriculture Research Service. She then transferred to the Cooperative State Research Service. With the establishment of CSREES, Hefferan was named the deputy administrator for Competitive Research Grants and Award Management. In August of 1995, she moved to the Office of the Administrator serving as either the acting administrator or the associate administrator of the Agency until 2000.

Prior to joining USDA, Hefferan served on the faculty at the Pennsylvania State University, as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland, and as a research fellow at the Australian National University in Canberra. She has authored more than 60 research articles and chapters, edited several books on economic issues and trends influencing families and consumers, and spoken widely on issues related to advancing agricultural research and education. In 2000, she was honored with a Presidential Rank Award as a Distinguished Federal Executive.

Hefferan has a doctorate and a master’s degree from the University of Illinois, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona.