Lisa Mensah
The papers for President Barack Obama’s nomination of Lisa Mensah to be the Agriculture undersecretary for rural development have gone to the Senate Agriculture Committtee, and Mensah has begun meeting with senators to discuss her nomination.

A Senate Agriculture Committee spokesman confirmed that the committee had received the papers but had no information on a confirmation hearing.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., said in a news release Wednesday that she had met with Mensah and told her she wants to work with her on rural development in rural America and Indian Country.

Heitkamp said she and Mensah discussed the need for increased Rural Utilities Service infrastructure investments in western North Dakota, and the importance of regional economic development strategies to help communities strategically plan.

Heitkamp chairs the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth, and Energy Innovation.

Mensah is the executive director of the Initiative on Financial Security at the Aspen Institute. Earlier she served in various economic development positions, including as deputy director of the Rural Poverty and Resources Program at the Ford Foundation.