Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration

Malcom Shorter

Malcom A. Shorter was appointed the Assistant Secretary for Administration at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in February 2024.

Mr. Shorter served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration from February 2023 after being reappointed as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration in March 2021. Malcom previously served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration at USDA from January 2017 to August 2017 and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration at USDA from June 2013 to January 2017.

Malcom is an accomplished administrative and financial professional with combined expertise in government relations and operational management. From September 2017 to May 2021, he served as the Associate Deputy Chief for Business Operations in the U.S. Forest Service, where he provided leadership to the Agency’s Office of Information Technology, National Job Corps Program, and the National Enterprise Program (EP).

Mr. Shorter served as the Democratic Staff Director for the House Committee on Veterans Affairs from January 2007 to February 2013. As the Staff Director, he led the staff to strengthen laws concerning veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), for health care, disability compensation, GI bill education and job training, home loan guarantees, and a nationwide system of veterans’ cemeteries.

He also served as the Director, Office of Budget, Finance and Administration (BF&A), Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, United States Department of the Interior (DOI) from January 2005 to January 2007 and as the Assistant Director for Programming and Budget, Office of Counter-Narcotics, United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from October 2003 to January 2005. Malcom retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Army in September 2003 after a distinguished military career of more than 20 years.
Malcom graduated from Rutgers University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Administration from Central Michigan University. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Career Course, the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the Brookings Institute Congressional Fellowship Program.

Malcom resides with his family in Bowie, Maryland.