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U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar announced today a temporary addition to his Washington, D.C. staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sandi Boughton, a legislative fellow with more than 34 years experience working with USDA Rural Development, joins Congressman Cuellar’s staff for a six-month term to assist with legislative issues in Washington and rural development initiatives in the district.

“I am excited to announce Sandi as an addition to our office,” Congressman Cuellar said. “She brings invaluable expertise in rural development, both for the legislative session and for our rural communities in the district. I look forward to bringing Sandi to the district in November to share her knowledge and experience with our rural communities.”

Ms. Boughton comes to the congressional office as the Director of Water Programs for the USDA Rural Utilities Service. Her expertise is in community development, planning and financing, which includes helping rural communities prioritize their development needs. She has worked closely in prior roles in Washington State with Native American tribes on community facilities and rural infrastructure development, including water, waste, and solid waste facilities and telecommunications, telemedicine and distance learning programs.

Throughout her work in rural development, Ms. Boughton has emphasized partnerships in and between local and federal entities and the leveraging of private resources to maximize funding packages for projects. In November, Congressman Cuellar plans to travel with Ms. Boughton to the district to conduct rural town hall meetings, discuss USDA Rural Development initiatives and share information on available resources from USDA and other sources.