SHIC Names New Associate Director

The Swine Health Information Center has named a new Associate Director.The search for a new Swine Health Information Center Associate Director was prompted by the announced retirement of founding Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg and the elevation of current Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder into that role at the end of this year.

Dr. Niederwerder says the goal was to hire a new Associate Director in time to ensure a smooth transition of staffing.

Quote-Dr. Megan Niederwerder-Swine Health Information Center:

We are thrilled to announce that Dr, Lisa Becton will fill the role of the new Associate Director and she will start with the Swine Health Information Center on January 1st.Dr. Becton has really been an asset to the pork industry throughout her career.

She comes to the Swine Health Information Center with close to 30 years of pork industry experience and directing producer led initiatives.Her career has been focussed on the swine producer, the needs of the swine industry and leading the health and disease initiatives.

Most recently she has served for close to 15 years at the National Pork Board as the Director of Swine Health.She has had a history of leading both the Foreign Animal Disease Research Task Force as well as the Swine Health Committee that was focussed on endemic swine diseases.

Prior to that she practiced as a swine veterinarian and comes to the Swine Health Information Center with vast experience and a lot of historical knowledge.
Dr. Becton and I will work very closely together in directing the overall expectations and accountability of the Swine Health Information Center as well as ensuring quality programs and services.She will have significant interaction with pork producers and other swine industry stakeholders as well as the Board of Directors and our two working groups.

Dr. Niederwerder says the experience that Dr. Becton brings will enable her to hit the ground running.