AMES, IOWA — The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) board of directors selected Lisa Becton as the organization’s new associate director, effective January 2024. Becton will succeed Megan Niederwerder, who will become SHIC’s next executive director, following the retirement of founding executive director Paul Sunberg on Dec. 31.

In her new role, Becton will work with Niederwerder in directing overall expectations and accountability as well as ensuring quality programs and services at SHIC. Becton will collaborate on the center’s budget, long range planning and strategic initiatives. Additionally, she will interact closely with the pork community to build awareness of SHIC, establish and maintain working relationships in the industry, and successfully meet the center’s mission.

“Lisa is an outstanding addition to the SHIC team, who brings a wealth of knowledge from directing producer-led swine health initiatives during her tenure at the National Pork Board,” Niederwerder said. “Her vast experience will enable her to hit the ground running as the new associate director and immediately start advancing mission-focused objectives to help lead SHIC into the future. The addition of Lisa underscores SHIC’s continued commitment to serve producer needs through mitigating emerging disease threats and maximizing the value of SHIC’s prevention, preparedness and response activities.”

Most recently, Becton served as the National Pork Board’s (NPB) director of swine health. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine. Earlier this year, Becton received the American Association of Swine Veterinarian’s Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year honor.

Becton earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Lenoir-Rhyne College, her master’s degree in food safety from Michigan State University and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from North Carolina State University. Becton also holds a public health certificate in field epidemiology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She completed the swine executive veterinary program, swine health management at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

“I’m really excited to be with SHIC and to maintain the close working relationships with the great teams at NPB, AASV, and National Pork Producers Council, while remaining in the industry I love,” Becton said. “Having the opportunity as the new SHIC associate director fuels my passion to support producers as they manage herd health challenges by converting knowledge into action. We are blessed in the swine industry to work with the best people anywhere.”