A graduate of North Carolina State University, Dr. Laura Jeffers started her career in insecticide development at Rhône-Poulenc, an agricultural chemical company, in Research Triangle Park, NC.
In 2007, Laura made the jump from insect physiologist to regulatory entomologist when she joined the USDA-APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Exotic Pest Information Collection and Analysis Team as a Biosurveillance Analyst.
In 2009, she joined the PPQ Treatment Quality Assurance Unit, where she spent most of her time resolving technical issues regarding phytosanitary quarantine treatments. In that position, Laura was the Phytosanitary Irradiation Program Manager and the Business System Manager for the Commodity Treatment Information System. In 2015, Laura joined PPQ Field Operations as a National Operations Manager, where she coordinates operational efforts for the phytosanitary fumigation, irradiation, heat, and cold treatment programs.
In 2023, Laura moved to PPQ Pest Exclusion and Import Programs as a Senior Risk Manager with the Regulatory Coordination and Compliance Team. In this role, Laura develops the measures (yes… those include irradiation treatments) to approve new and review current market access for fresh fruits and vegetables imports. While with PPQ, she’s completed several work details, including the Field Operations Exclusions and Imports Director, the Virginia State Plant Health Director, and the Plant Health Programs Critical Issues Manager. Laura even had the fortune to spend one long, hot summer supporting the preclearance irradiation program in Bangkok, Thailand.
Laura lives in Fuquay Varina, NC with her husband Brad and four boisterous dogs, Tater, Petal, Blooter, and Orko. Laura spends her free time hobbit-ing around the garden, binging true crime podcasts, and pretending to be good at home improvement projects.
