AGA PDT 2026

Cara LeConte
Chief Financial Officer
USDA Rural Development


Ms. LeConte serves as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development (RD). She is responsible for providing oversight related to accounting, budget, and compliance needs concerning RD's grant and loan portfolio. Currently, she is leading USDA’s loan and grant system modernization that will position the department as a digital-first leader supporting rural communities by elevating the borrower experience with faster and more transparent service. Prior to joining RD, she served in several leadership roles at USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), including as the CFO and the Agency’s Chief of Staff. She ensured effective management, efficient use of resources, and effective deployment resources toward the achievement of the Agency’s strategic plan and overall mission. Through her leadership of the enterprise governance process she ensured FSIS effectively administered agency policy, promoted cooperative decision-making among executives and prioritized agency-wide projects. Ms. LeConte has over 20 years of leadership experience in both the private and public sectors. Prior to her entry into federal service, she worked as an accounting manager for multi-employer trust funds and was a senior financial consultant for IBM. She is a certified public accountant and has a B.S. in International Business from Plattsburgh State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Baltimore.

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