Office of the Director
Director of the Department of Agriculture
Paul E. Brierley, Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture, was raised working on his family’s diversified farm. After earning a computer science degree, he returned to production agriculture in southeast Arizona.
He worked with producers across Arizona as Farm Bureau’s Director of Organization for 10 years. Then, in 2014 became the founding Executive Director of the University of Arizona’s Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture, which he built into a highly effective agricultural research organization.
On June 26, 2023, Paul took over the reins as Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture under the appointment of Governor Katie Hobbs. He is highly respected and represents the best of our agricultural industry in Arizona, and will no doubt succeed in leading the Department with diligence, respect, and a deep understanding of the work involved.
Deputy Director of Programs
Sheldon Robert Jones - “What can be done to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness of this entity to meet the needs of our customers?” “Who else cares or should be asked for their opinions about key issues that impact our organization, our food supply and our economy?” Seeking and finding the answers to these two questions has been a career long quest of Sheldon Jones whether on a family ranch in Arizona, state Departments of Agriculture in Arizona and Colorado, trade associations, non-profit organizations, Farm Foundation and the Soil Health Institute, or with his current employer recently returning to the Arizona Department of Agriculture.
Managing the operations of a family ranch led to his insights about the financial underpinnings of small business that served him well during a 14 year career in commercial banking focused on agriculture production and the agribusiness sector. In 1997, interested in the public policy implications of the agribusiness community, he accepted an appointment to become the Director of Arizona’s Department of Agriculture. This background was noticed by the Agri-Business Council of Arizona which in 2002 recruited him to be its executive director.
Two years later he accepted an invitation to step back into state government when the Colorado Department of Agriculture invited him to accept the position of Deputy Commissioner. There, his coalition building talents resulted in the successful passage and signing into law 100% agency sponsored, industry supported bills (19/19 bills). He also drove an internal realignment of agency programs and led the development of Colorado’s Livestock Security System.
The opportunity to help make an impact at a national level in agriculture/agribusiness led him to accept the offer to become Vice President of the Farm Foundation in 2008. Quickly realizing that the organization would provide better service by putting an organizational fire wall between its programs and projects, and the organization’s endowment, Sheldon led the planning, managed the relationships and facilitated the legal and administrative paperwork which brought that concept to actualization. In 2015/2016 he led a major 12-month project which made the case for a more judicious use of medically important antibiotic drugs in the food industry. Beginning in 2013, in partnership with the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation (Oklahoma) Sheldon was a key figure in the due diligence effort seeking to understand the current state of, and potential for, an independent advocate for making soil science the cornerstone of land management decisions. That effort culminated with the launch of the Soil Health Institute in June 2016. Sheldon served as the Chief Operating Officer for 7 years, 2016-2023, based in the Research Triangle Park area near Raleigh, NC.
In October 2024 Sheldon returned to the Arizona Department of Agriculture, serving as the Deputy Director for Programs for Director Paul Brierley.
Married and the proud father of 8 children with 6 grandchildren, Jones earned his Masters and Baccalaureate degrees at Arizona State University. Now residing in Casa Grande, he has stayed in touch with new approaches and developing science and technological trends through active participation in a variety of continuing education options including work at Harvard and Purdue Universities as well as regional and national workshops and conferences
Deputy Director of Operations and Strategy
Heather Flowers has been with the Arizona Department of Agriculture since 2021 and serves as the Deputy Director of Operations and Strategy. In her role, she directs agency operations and adminstrative support offices, leads strategic planning and implementation, coordinates agency performance management, and drives operational improvement initiatives. She has been with the State of Arizona since 2016 and has held previous positions in the Government Transformation Office and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Prior to joining the State of Arizona, she worked as an environmental scientist in South Carolina. Heather holds a M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and a B.S. in Geology. Heather and her husband, Christopher, have been married since 1998 and they have four children and one grandson.
Executive Assistant
Corey Polka has recently joined the Office of the Director (OOD) in Arizona’s Department of Agriculture (AZDA). She is Executive Assistant to the Agency’s Director, Paul Brierley, who was appointed by the Governor to serve in this role in June 2023. In her role, Corey supports the OOD and Director Brierley in his role serving on the Governor’s Cabinet, being a visionary leader for the AZDA and serving its stakeholders.
Corey comes from a career military family and had the opportunity to travel around the country and the world during her father‘s Air Force career. She ultimately ended up in Arizona where she attended ASU and has a BS in business/marketing and has over 30 years of service with the State having worked at ASU and U of A in executive assistant and administrative operations roles supporting leadership. She is excited to be a part of the Arizona Department of Agriculture and to serve its mission.
Legislative Liaison, Public Information Officer, Ombudsman & Custodian of Records
Rachel Andrews serves as the Chief Legislative Liaison and Public Information Officer for the Arizona Department of Agriculture. She spent the last three legislative sessions as a Legislative Research Analyst at the Arizona State Senate, most recently staffing the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee (2023 & 2024). She is a two time graduate of Arizona State University, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and her Master’s Degree in Public Administration, and is a proud alumni of the Arizona Legislative Internship Program.
Budget Director
Louise Houseworth has served as the Assistant Director for Budget with the Arizona Department of Agriculture since June 2003. She is responsible for the preparation and monitoring of the Department’s $58 million budget. Ms. Houseworth is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Redlands in California. She received a Master of Public Administration degree from the Maxwell Graduate School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in New York. She has more than 45 years in budgeting, financial management, and administration in state and local government and higher education. Immediately prior to assuming her position with the Arizona Department of Agriculture, Ms. Houseworth served as Associate Executive Director for Business and Finance with the Arizona Board of Regents. She also served in positions with the Iowa Board of Regents; University of Maryland at College Park; City of Wichita Falls, Texas; and City of Kansas City, Missouri. She was born and raised in Arizona and returned to the state in 1998.
Divisions of the Department of Agriculture
Agriculture & Food Systems Support Division
Ashley Grabb is the Assistant Director, Agriculture and Food Systems Support Division (AFSSD) - the only non-regulatory division in the Department. AFSSD works to build strong relationships with farmers, ranchers, agriculture organizations and local stakeholders to better understand their needs and challenges. The Division provides technical assistance and grant support to help agricultural operations thrive, as well as offers training to enhance voluntary compliance and regulatory awareness. Focusing on food systems resilience, AFSSD is the home of the beloved Arizona Grown program. By serving Arizona’s diverse agricultural landscape, AFSSD ultimately strengthens the entire agricultural ecosystem!
With over 10 years of experience, Ashley has worked from field to plate. Beginning her career managing a Beginning Farmer Program in Colorado, Ashley supported new farmers in building foundational knowledge and connecting with resources to ensure market access and long-term success. She has worked on local food procurement efforts with K-12 schools, universities throughout the West and a national grocery chain.
She also has extensive experience in farm-based nutritional education, program management, and hands-on research, having managed a National Institutes of Health(NIH) R01 research study assessing children's fruit and vegetable consumption in schools throughout Arizona.
Ashley holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Illinois and bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Eastern Illinois University. Ashley sits on the board of the Arizona Farm to School Network, is actively involved with the Arizona Food Systems Network and runs a small antique business on the weekends! Growing up on a family farm in Illinois that has been passed down through six generations, she developed a deep passion for food, food access, and the importance of supporting local and regional food systems.
Animal Services Division
Rob joined the Arizona Department of Agriculture in July of 2018 as the Legislative Liaison and Public Information Officer. During his time there he also took on the roles of Tribal Liaison, Agency Ombudsman and Custodian of Records. On October 16, 2023, Rob became the Acting Associate Director for the Animal Services Division. After serving 6 months in that role, Rob applied for and was selected as the Associate Director for the Animal Services Division.
Rob’s governmental and public affairs career spans nearly 33 years, having begun his career at the Arizona House of Representatives in December of 1990. Rob spent about 8 years at the House before joining the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry in 1998 where he was the Manager of Public Affairs for the Chamber. Other public affairs stops included the Arizona Department of Administration, Arizona State Retirement System as well as his current employer, the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Rob’s governmental stops included being the agency rule writer and the state fleet administrator for the Arizona Department of Administration. In addition to state fleet, Rob was assigned oversight to other government programs that needed fixing and improvement.
Rob was born and raised in Arizona. A life-long Sun Devil, Rob graduated from Arizona State University in 1997. Rob has always had an admiration for agriculture as many of his family in the Midwest still ranch, run working farms or are involved in some form of agricultural business.
Environmental and Consumer Protection Division
Jack Peterson grew up working on a family farm in Minnesota, received a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from North Dakota State University and then spent 10 years working in North Dakota, as an engineer, an educator and a regulator. In 1994, the agency's first director, Keith Kelly, hired Jack as the Associate Director of the Environmental Services Division. Over the 30+ years Jack has been with the agency, he has had the opportunity to serve in interim leadership roles throughout the agency, including Director. Other than the interim roles, in 2021 former Director Mark Killian combined the Environmental Services Division and the Plant Services Division, with Jack serving as the Associate Director for nearly 4 years.
In 2025, Director Brierley implemented an agency reorganization to ensure the best in customer care. This put Jack in to oversee the ECPD, which includes the Office of Environmental Services, Office of Pest Management, and the Office of Weights and Measures.
Plant & Produce Services Division
Teressa Lopez was appointed as the Division Director for the Plant and Produce Services Division at the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) in February 2025. With nearly two decades of experience at AZDA, Teressa has proven herself as a dedicated and passionate leader in the field of agriculture, food safety, and public service.
Teressa's career at AZDA began in 2006, and over the years, she has contributed to the management and success of multiple critical programs, including food safety, outbreak response, fresh produce quality and grade inspection, federal grants, and produce production statistical data gathering. Her leadership in Plant and Produce Inspection and Auditing Services has positioned her as a key figure in Arizona’s agricultural landscape.
Beyond her role at AZDA, Teressa is an active participant in both local and national food safety initiatives. She has been deeply involved in educational outreach and regulatory efforts and has served as the Ombudsman for the Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Committee since 2007. Teressa also engages with several local and national associations and boards, furthering her commitment to improving food safety standards across the industry.
Teressa’s leadership skills have been enhanced through her completion of the State of Arizona Leaders Connect (SALC) Program, where she honed her ability to lead and inspire others in the public sector.
Before her tenure at AZDA, Teressa managed federal and state budgets for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), overseeing the ITD Technical Training Program and the Arizona Local Technical Assistance Program (AZLTAP). These programs provided essential technical training in transportation infrastructure to ADOT employees and local governments throughout Arizona.
Originally from Moline, IL, and raised in San Diego, CA, Teressa moved to Arizona in 1990. With her deep commitment to agriculture and community service, Teressa continues to make a lasting impact on both the state of Arizona and the national agricultural sector.
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