Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Certification
Timeline
LINKS
Hobbies and Interests
Generic
Taryn Webb

Taryn Webb

College Park

Summary

Driven leader with over ten years of experience guiding external communications to advance public policy initiatives at the federal level, including at both Congress and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Known for being an effective collaborator, results driven project manager, and strategic problem solver. I have advised interns to highest executive level leadership on strategic communications, crisis management, external stakeholder engagement, media affairs, strategic planning, congressional relations and public policy.

Overview

13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Acting Director, Division of Public Engagement and Information

FDA's Human Foods Program (HFP)
10.2024 - 04.2025
  • Served as the lead advisor on food program stakeholder perspectives and relationships to inform policy initiatives and communications strategies that increased alignment with public interests.
  • Directed a division of 25 employees that included two teams, one being the Human Food Program information center, which serves as the call center and central hub of information about FDA regulated human foods for consumers and industry; and the other team being the Public Engagement Branch responsible for overseeing and facilitating coordination of external stakeholder engagements with HFP leadership and subject matter experts including coalition meetings, listening sessions, webinars, public meetings, facility and farm tours and more.
  • Initiated and facilitated dialogue between FDA food program leadership and external stakeholders to foster relationships and ensure timely discussions on priority topics.
  • Fostered a team-oriented environment, encouraging open communication to enhance employee engagement and drive collective success in public engagement efforts.

Acting Team Lead for Strategic Communications

FDA's Human Foods Program
09.2023 - 10.2024
  • Effectively led a team of ten employees responsible for all external communications and media affairs for the FDA’s Human Food Program. In this role, we worked hand-in-hand with executives and subject matter experts across FDA (both in and outside of the foods program) and with external stakeholders (when appropriate) to advise on all manners of external communications. This included everything from routine roll outs to highly sensitive public health communications, congressional testimony, media affairs, policy development and more.
  • Served as a key advisor during high-stakes scenarios involving infant formula shortages, lead contamination, and avian influenza in dairy cows.
  • Provided editorial oversight of all communications plans and deliverables (~20/week) such as web copy, press announcements, talking points, responsive QA’s, fact sheets and media responses.
  • Maintained composure and calmly guides teams through urgent and sensitive food safety communications that included coordinating with recalling firms and issuing FDA safety alerts.
  • Served as a change leader helping to guide the communications staff through the FDA’s reorganization of the foods program.

Health Communications Specialist

FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
11.2016 - 09.2023
  • Served as the external communications lead for various food related program areas including produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and infant formula. In this role, I worked alongside the program leads to strategically evaluate problems and opportunities that could help or hinder the program’s goals, while offering advice and guidance that served to advance the public health mission and build trust in the FDA’s programs. Some of these projects include:
  • Advanced the FDA’s FSMA implementation activities, rulemakings, and compliance date through strategically developed and placed communications and timely engagement with stakeholders.
  • Lead the development, tracking, and updating of the FDA’s Leafy Greens STEC Action Plan in response to E.coli outbreaks linked to leafy greens between 2018-2022.
  • Identified an opportunity to advance the comprehensive work of the Cyclospora Task Force through the development of the FDA’s public-facing Cyclospora Prevention, Response and Research Action Plan which served to bring heightened attention to the work underway by FDA to address annual outbreaks linked to cyclosporas.
  • Served as FDA’s lead communications advisor during the 2022 infant formula safety and supply chain crisis. In this role, I advance the development and issuance of The FDA’s Powdered Infant Formula Prevention Strategy which helped to inform stakeholders including Members of Congress about the steps FDA was taking to address Cronobacter contamination; lead the agency through a number of high-profile and sensitive infant formula recalls; embraced opportunities to explain FDA’s work in the infant formula space and to advocate for additional legislative authorities through articles, op-eds and engagements; and supported the development and rollout of FDA’s Immediate National Strategy to Increase the Resiliency of the U.S. Infant Formula Market
  • Work often included cross-agency and government-wide communications coordination; development of hundreds of proactive communications such as constituent updates, op-eds, press releases and videos; media relations; and managing time-sensitive communications for recalls and safety alerts.
  • Fielded hundreds of media inquiries from both trade and national reporters and worked with FDA subject matter experts and leadership on responses.

Senior Advisor for Policy (Temporary position)

FDA Office of Food Policy and Response
02.2022 - 05.2022
  • Led the coordination of the New Era of Smarter Food Safety projects and initiatives across various FDA Centers.

Press Aide and Legislative Correspondent

Office of Congressman Tim Bishop
12.2012 - 12.2014
  • Served as the New Media Manager and led an overhaul of the office’s digital strategy resulting in increased engagement with target audiences across all channels: website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Vine, Flickr, Tumblr and more. Additionally, maintained, updated, and analyzed the Congressional website leading to continuous improvements.
  • Drafted and delivered correspondence to constituents, federal offices and other organizations relating to both national policy, local concerns, and grant applications.
  • Served as the policy lead covering issues related to the arts and humanities, animal welfare, women and family issues. This included drafting legislation, briefing, and advising the congressman, meeting with interest groups and stakeholders, and monitoring legislative activities.

Staff Assistant and Scheduler

Office of Congressman Tim Bishop
11.2011 - 12.2012
  • Served as the Congressman’s primary scheduler responsible for arranging all travel, meetings, press availability, call time, events, speeches, and attendance at committee hearings.
  • Managed the office internship program including the hiring, training and supervision of all interns.
  • Served as the office tour coordinator, arranging tours of the U.S. Capitol, the White House, The Bureau of Printing and Engraving, the Pentagon and more for the hundreds of constituents that visited Washington, D.C in 2012.
  • Met with thought leaders and advocacy groups; monitored and reviewed legislation; conducted research to interpret issues; and briefed the Congressman on a number of legislative policy areas including the arts and humanities, animal welfare, and women’s issues.

Education

Master of Professional Studies - Public Relations and Corporate Communications

Georgetown University
05.2016

Bachelor of Science - Political Science and History

State University of New York at New Paltz
New Paltz, NY
05.2011

Skills

  • Effective relationship management
  • Strategic planning
  • Verbal and written communication
  • Decision-making
  • Crisis management
  • Message development
  • Public relations
  • Writing

Certification

Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Career Empowerment

Robert H. Smith School of Business

University of Maryland College Park, MD

June 2025

Timeline

Acting Director, Division of Public Engagement and Information

FDA's Human Foods Program (HFP)
10.2024 - 04.2025

Acting Team Lead for Strategic Communications

FDA's Human Foods Program
09.2023 - 10.2024

Senior Advisor for Policy (Temporary position)

FDA Office of Food Policy and Response
02.2022 - 05.2022

Health Communications Specialist

FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
11.2016 - 09.2023

Press Aide and Legislative Correspondent

Office of Congressman Tim Bishop
12.2012 - 12.2014

Staff Assistant and Scheduler

Office of Congressman Tim Bishop
11.2011 - 12.2012

Bachelor of Science - Political Science and History

State University of New York at New Paltz

Master of Professional Studies - Public Relations and Corporate Communications

Georgetown University

LINKS

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com.

Hobbies and Interests

Running has always been a passion of mine which I took to a new level in January 2025 by completing my first marathon.

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