Dr. Maria Celia Antognoli has been appointed as the new General Director of COPEG by USDA APHIS and has assumed the role since August 2023.

Dr. María (Celia) Antognoli is a prominent veterinary epidemiologist who has dedicated her career to the research and protection of animal health. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she obtained her degree of Doctor in Veterinary Medicine from the prestigious University of Buenos Aires. Subsequently, she continued her studies and achieved a PhD in Epidemiology at Colorado State University, in Ft. Collins, United States of America.

Her career at USDA APHIS began in 2008, and since then she has held diverse leadership roles and expertise in the field of epidemiological surveillance. In January 2015, she became Director of APHIS Epidemiologic Surveillance Design and Analysis Unit, where she contributed significantly to the design and evaluation of livestock and poultry disease surveillance, both nationally and internationally.

Her commitment to swine health led her to join the team of specialists in March 2019, where she stood out in the implementation of surveillance activities, including active surveillance of swine foreign hemorrhagic fevers. Her knowledge and experience in the field have made her a recognized expert in swine health protection.

Dr. Antognoli has also demonstrated expertise in emergency situations and outbreak response. As a member of the APHIS Outbreak Emergency Response Team, she has deployed several times to the Dominican Republic to coordinate the response to the African swine fever outbreak. Her experience in classical and African swine fever has led her to be part of various international working groups, including the World Organization for Animal Health, FAO-GEMP.

Since September 2022, Dr. Antognoli serves as Deputy Incident Commander for the APHIS Incident Management Team in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where she oversees multiple operational aspects of response management.

It is an honor to warmly welcome Dr. María Celia Antognoli to #TeamCOPEG. We are excited to have her leadership and experience in our organization. Join us to meet this outstanding professional as she familiarizes herself with our operations and the staff that make up our organization.