Vilsacks take adviser roles with Colorado State University

A former Iowa governor and first lady will join a Colorado university as advisers focused on water, food innovation and education.

Colorado State University announced Monday that it has tapped Tom and Christie Vilsack for adviser posts regarding its National Western Center. The center is part of a plan to create a hub for tourism, education and agriculture innovation, the Denver Post reported.

Tom Vilsack's role with the school will include joining Denver Water and the Colorado State University System as a strategic adviser of food and water initiatives.

Vilsack, a Democrat, served as Iowa's governor from 1999 to 2007. He was then the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under former President Barack Obama from 2009 to January of this year.

He serves as the president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, a post he took after leaving the USDA in January.

Christie Vilsack will join the university system as senior adviser to the chancellor for educational access. A former teacher, Christie Vilsack Iowa's first lady when her husband served as governor.

From 2013 to 2016, she was a senior adviser for international education with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

'The challenges that are facing our globe will need all of our best efforts and all of our best thoughts to identify sustainable solutions,” Colorado State President Tony Frank said in a statement. 'We are excited to add these two incredibly qualified national leaders to our team and to continue to elevate the conversation, and collaborate to create great impact for our state, our country, and our world.”

Part of Tom Vilsack's adviser role includes creating an annual meeting at the National Western Center 'focused on the interface of agriculture and water with integration to climate smart agriculture initiatives,” according to a statement.

'Agriculture holds the key to finding solutions to the world's largest problems,” Tom Vilsack said in the statement. 'I'm excited to represent the expertise and research capabilities of Colorado State University, and pull together partners from around the world to participate in the vision of the new National Western Center, and to create global impact.”

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