Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of External and Intergovernmental Affairs

Rudy Soto

Rudy Soto serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of External and Intergovernmental Affairs and responsible for the External and Intergovernmental Affairs team.

Previously Rudy Soto served as USDA’s Rural Development State Director for Idaho since January 2021. In this role, Soto was instrumental in promoting economic development, increasing access to healthcare, and improving infrastructure in Idaho’s rural communities. Before that, Soto served as a legislative staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives, covering energy, environment, agriculture, and tribal affairs. Previously, he worked for Western Leaders Network, a nonprofit organization of local and tribal elected officials across the Interior West focused on protecting public lands, water, and air. Soto was born and raised in Nampa, Idaho, and is a proud member of the Shoshone Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation and a veteran of the United States Army National Guard. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University.