ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 9, 2026) ~ Annapolis, MD - The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has recently announced the appointment of two new key staff members. Allie Carter Cavanagh has been named as the new Director of Legislative and Government Affairs, while Rachel Felver will take on the role of Director of Communications.

Cavanagh brings a wealth of experience to her new position, having previously served as a Policy Advisor to Maryland Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth and as the Congresswoman's Chief of Staff during her final two years in the Maryland Senate. Her policy areas have covered a wide range, including agriculture, animal welfare, energy, environment, education, labor and health care. Cavanagh was also a fellow with the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine in the Climate Crossroads Program from 2025-2026.

In addition to her impressive background in policy and government affairs, Cavanagh holds a Master of Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Music from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. She has also served as a Program Manager for the Career & Technical Education Committee at the Maryland Department of Labor and was nominated as Baltimore County Teacher of the Year in 2016-17.

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Felver also brings a strong background to her new role as Director of Communications. She previously spent 10 years as the Communications Director for the regional Chesapeake Bay Program, where she was employed by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Felver holds a Masters in Environmental Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh. She also has a professional certification in Sustainability & Behavior Change from the University of California at San Diego Extension. Prior to her work with the Chesapeake Bay Program, Felver served on the Marketing Team at the National Aquarium in Baltimore and spent eight years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks expressed his excitement about the new appointments, stating, "We are incredibly fortunate to add two leaders of this caliber to the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and their arrival marks a major win for our state's agricultural community." He went on to highlight Cavanagh's impressive background in navigating complex legislative environments and her deep understanding of policy, which will make her a strong advocate for farmers at all levels of government. Atticks also praised Felver's decade of high-level communication leadership on critical regional issues like the Chesapeake Bay, noting that her ability to translate complex agency initiatives into meaningful public outreach will be a valuable asset for the department.

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The addition of Cavanagh and Felver to the MDA team is expected to bring stronger advocacy, clearer communication, and more robust support for Maryland's farmers and producers as they work to feed families and power the state's economy. For more information about the Maryland Department of Agriculture, please visit mda.maryland.gov.

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