Phil Karsting, a Nebraska native with experience on Capitol Hill, at USDA, and in international ag development, is joining the Washington law firm Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC.
Karsting will be a new senior policy adviser, the firm announced Monday.
“Phil brings to our team a very unique standing with the agriculture community and a special skill set. He will be a tremendous asset to our well-established agriculture policy team," said Marshall Matz, chairman of OFW.
"We couldn’t be more excited to have Phil as part of our firm. His experience and expertise will add a new dimension to our food and agriculture practice,” said Brett Schwemer, a managing partner at OFW.
Last year, Karsting was named interim president and CEO of World Food Program USA, which advocates for the UN World Food Programme, after previously serving as the U.S. organization’s vice president for public policy. He served as administrator of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service during the Obama administration.
Karsting’s experience on Capitol Hill included a stint as chief of staff for Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl during his tenure as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. He was also a senior analyst at the Senate Budget Committee.
Karsting has also taken on a role in presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s presidential campaign as the co-chair of the former vice president’s rural advisory committee.
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