2013 P Gomes Personal History.pdf - Phytosanitary Resources

PERSONAL HISTORY 

FOR ASSIGNMENT AS TECHNICAL COOPERATION EXPERT 

Page 1 

PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION 

Name: Mr/Ms. 

Nationality: 

Patrick Gomes 

United States of America 

Telephone No. 

Fax No.: 

919-855-7313 office 

+919-855-7391 

919-625-7660 mobile 

Type and No. of national passport: 

Official 820666880 

Place of issue: 

Washington, DC 

Date of issue: 

27 AUG 2010 

Validity 

26 AUG 2015 

Date of birth: 

e-mail: 

Patrick.J.Gomes@aphis.usda.gov 

Father’s full 

name: 

Mother’s full 

name: 

KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGES Read Write Speak Understand 

Mother tongue: English 

Easily Not Easily Not Easily Not Easily 

Not Easily 

Other languages 

easily 

Easily 

Easily 

Spanish X X X X 

Portuguese X X X X 

EDUCATION (scientific, technical and professional education; start with the highest degree, certificate or diploma) 

Dates attended Name and location of institution of Academic degrees, certificate Main field of study 

learning 

or diplomas obtained 

From To 

1968 1972 University of California at Riverside Bachelor of Arts Biology 

1977 1977 USDA Professional Development 

Center 

Certificate 

Plant Quarantine Principles & 

Laws; Pest identification 

1991 1991 U.S. Office of Personnel Management Management Development 

Seminar 

Quality management principles 

List the specializations in which you consider yourself qualified: 

Strategic and operational program planning; Plant pest program management & administration; Budgeting, logistics & 

procurement in support of area-wide programs; Plant health program policy & analysis; Negotiation & agreements; 

Organizing & conducting International workshops & training courses; Technical expertise & program experience of: 

Area-wide control of Tephritid fruit flies; Design of rearing facilities; Mass-rearing, sterilization & release of sterile 

insects (Sterile insect technique); Plant pest identification & diagnostics; Plant pest surveillance & detection methods; 

Pest exclusion & agricultural quarantine inspection; Development & establishment of pest free areas; Radiation safety; 

Use of irradiation to sterilize insects for pest control; Application of pesticides; Conducting environmental assessments & 

environmental monitoring; Personnel management including hiring, directing, supervising, evaluating, and discipling 

employees; Conducting quality assurance/quality control of plant pest programs. 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (Start with your most recent position) 

From: 2012-11-16 To: Present date Title of position: Coordinator - Fruit Fly Research & 

Development 

Employer (name and address) and type of business: 

U. S. Department of Agriculture 

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service 

Plant Protection & Quarantine 

Science & Technology 

920 Main Campus Dr - Suite 200 

Raleigh, North Carolina 27606 

Number and kind of staff supervised: 

1- Professional Scientist 

1 - Biological Science Technician

Duties: Serves as National Fruit Fly Coordinator for Research and Development. Heads up the Fruit Fly Research Unit 

and represents the agency as a recognized expert to provide executive-level line management for the planning, initiation, 

and execution of technology development, quality assurance and scientific activities for fruit fly programs conducted by 

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service with overall responsibility for: 

• Establishing policies, procedures, accountability measures, quality assurance and data collection systems to ensure 

effectiveness and scientific soundness of domestic and international fruit fly detection, management, and emergency 

programs; 

• Fosters partnerships and interactions with associated Federal and State agencies, international organizations and 

foreign governments, key stakeholder groups and the U.S. Congress; 

• Ensures consistency of programs, policies and procedures among work locations performing fruit fly programs 

nationally 

Together with the National Science Program Leaders, Pest Management Policy Directors, National Program Managers 

and APHIS units, the Fruit Fly Coordinator: 

• Advises the Associate Deputy Administrator and Executive Director for Science and Technology on emerging fruit fly 

issues; 

• Coordinates the development and execution of technical and scientific projects on Tephritid fruit flies through direct 

interaction with scientists, technical staff and cooperators; 

• Provides liaison with S&T National Science Program Leaders and Research Scientists with the Agricultural Research 

Service, National Institute for Food and Agriculture, State and industry research institutes and groups; 

• Provides input and recommendations to the S&T Executive Director, National Science Program Leaders, Laboratory 

Directors and Science Coordinators on all fruit fly-related pertaining to project funding needs, budget management, 

work plans, annual and quarterly updates, staffing needs, succession planning, position descriptions and training 

opportunities; 

• Works with National, Regional and Field Program Managers to identify operational program research needs; 

• Coordinates the transfer and implementation of new technologies and methods to APHIS fruit fly operational 

programs; 

• Convenes Technical Working Groups consisting of national and international subject matter experts to address specific 

technical and operational topics of immediate concern to USDA programs; 

• Conducts operational program reviews; 

• Oversees quality assurance of products and services in support of operational programs including chemical purity 

analyses of lures, pesticides and 

• Provides input and recommendations on the analysis, interpretation and publication of S&T project results; 

• Coordinates establishment, review and reporting for cooperative agreements, interagency agreements and contracts 

pertaining to fruit fly research and development; 

• Represents S&T at national and international venues as a recognized scientific expert on fruit fly technology 

development and control; 

• Participates on international technical panels (IPPC, NAPPO) pertaining to fruit flies and phytosanitary treatments; 

• Establishes protocols, guidelines, quality control values, specifications and other technical requirements for use in 

operational fruit fly programs, as well as, training related to technology transfer and program implementation as they 

related to fruit fly detection, sterile insect production, fruit fly control and treatment; 

• Conducts risk assessments relating to Tephritid fruit flies by analyzing interception and fruit fly detection, exclusion 

and other pertinent data relating to fruit fly safeguarding systems 

• Reviews research results, manuscripts and participates in scientific review panels pertaining to Tephritid fruit flies 

Page 2

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (continued) 

Page 3 

From: 2006-04-24 To: 2012-11-15 Title of position: National Coordinator - Citrus Health 

Response Program 

Employer (name and address) and type of business: Number and kind of staff supervised: None 






Duties: Serve as National Project Coordinator responsible for implementing the Citrus Health Response Program as 

well as other duties to ensure citrus health within the United States, and assists the Deputy Administrator and Associate 

Deputy Administrator by providing oversight and coordination within the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service 

and with other stakeholders to assure the following key goals are met: 

• Protect against the spread of citrus canker and citrus greening 

• Detect and respond to new pests of citrus 

• Retain citrus export markets for US producers by meeting requirements for entry 

• Minimize impact of diseases by promoting development and use of best management practices 

• Communicate citrus health research and development needs to appropriate organizations 

• Conduct outreach/education to a broad audience by generating a greater awareness of new pest threats posed 

• Establish effective liaison with other countries for dealing with new pest threats & promote initiatives aimed at 

protecting citrus health 

• Determines level of resources -(budget, number of personnel, office space and locations) needed to effectively 

monitor, provide regulatory oversight and detect new citrus pests 

• Oversees preparation and peer review of Pest Risk Assessments & other supporting documents required in passage 

of Federal quarantine regulations including publication of proposed rules in the Federal Register for public comments. 

• Revises domestic and foreign federal quarantines regulations. 

• Coordinate on-going research to support citrus health. 

• Develops & executes a communications plan with internal & external stakeholders. 

• Keeps trading partners informed of the pest finds of concern & works to maintain domestic & foreign markets for 

US-grown citrus. 

From: 2005-07-25 To: 2006-04-23 Title of position: Senior Regional Program Manager 

Employer (name and address) and type of business: Number and kind of staff supervised: None 






Duties: As program manager, I was responsible for overseeing fruit fly surveillance, preventative release of sterile 

Medflies in the State of Florida and emergence response activities within the Eastern Region of the US. I also was 

responsible for surveillance and control of the Cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum, involving the use of sterile insect 

production and release. Participated a member of a FAO Expert panel to draft an International Standard for Phytosanitary 

Measures dealing with recognition of pest-free areas and low-pest prevalence. I also provided input into new standard on 

recognition of areas as low-pest prevalence for fruit flies. Worked with others to develop New Pest Response Guidelines 

for Citrus Greening (Huanglongbing) Disease and developed a real-time web-based data entry/tracking system. Drafted 

Federal order for Citrus Greening & Asian Citrus Psyllid.

List any significant publications or papers you have written which are relevant to your specializations: Page 4 

2006 USDA APHIS PPQ Citrus Health Response Plan - 21 pages 

2005 Sterile Insect Supply, Emergence & Release R. Dowell, J. Worley & P. Gomes p 297-324 Chapter 3.5 in Sterile 

Insect Technique: Principles & Practice in Area-wide Integrated Pest Management eds V.Dyck, J. Hendrichs, A. 

Robinson Springer-Verlag 

1998 “Product Quality Control, Irradiation & Shipping Procedures for Mass-Reared Tephritid Fruit Flies for Sterile 

Release Programs- Version 4.0", 8 September 1998, FAO/IAEA-USDA/APHIS, Vienna, Austria, 56 pp. - Editor 

1997 “Control of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly in the Near East Region Using the Sterile Insect Technique: Subregional 

proposals to eradicate the Medfly and establish fruit fly free areas in Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian 

Arab Republic and the Territories Under the Jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority”, STI/PUB/1020, IAEA, Vienna, 

January 1997, 76 pp. - Author 

1995 “Quarantine Security for Commodities: Current & Potential Approaches - Proceedings of Joint Workshops of the 

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) - December 1995- 

Beltsville, MD, 52 pp. - Authored Chapter entitled “Pest Free Areas”. 

1995 Economic Feasibility of Eradicating Carambola Fruit Fly (Bactrocera carambolae) from South America”. - October 

1995, 39 pp. – Technical editing of analysis 

1994 NAPPO Standard for Pest Free Zones, 934-006, April 20, 1994 - Author 

1993 USDA/ARS Research Plan for Fruit Flies - Supplement, Publication ARS-120, November 1993, Beltsville, 

Maryland, 109 pp. - Editor 

1993 USDA-APHIS An Economic Assessment of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly Cooperative Eradication Project 74 pp. 

Technical editing of analysis 

1992 USDA-APHIS - A Mediterranean Fruit Fly Risk Assessment, 112 pp. – Technical contributor 

1992 USDA-APHIS Economic Impact of the Establishment of the Mexican Fruit Fly in the United States” 30 pp. 


1992 USDA-ARS Action Plan for Fruit Flies Research. February 1992, Beltsville, MD 190 pp. - Editor 

1991 USDA-APHIS Guatemala MOSCAMED Program - Environmental Analysis -- 1991, May 199, 242 pp. – Technical 

editing of analysis 

1990 Quality Assessment of California Medfly Eradication Project USDA/APHIS/PPD - Author 

1990 USDA/APHIS Strategic Plan for Dealing with Fruit Flies Chairperson & Plan Editor 

1989 USDA-APHIS Economic Analysis of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly Program in Guatemala August 1989, 86 pp. – 


List any lecturing experience you have (topics, duration): 

2012 Capacity Building Mission to Assist Peruvian Plant Protection Services Develop Emergency Response to New Pest 

Introductions - Lima, Peru - May 14-18, 2012 

2011 Presentation given at Tri-National HLB/ACP Meeting – Merida, Yucatan, Mexico October 20-22, 2011 

Presentation given at Tri-National HLB/ACP Meeting - Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico – March 23-26, 2011 

2010 Invited speaker – International Organization for Biological Control – International Conference on Quality Control of 

Mass-Reared Arthropods - Vienna, Austria October 19, 2010 

FAO Expert Consultant – Revision of Fruit Fly Quality Control Manual – Vienna, Austria - October 18-22, 2010 

2009-2011 Tri-National Huanglongbing/Asian Citrus Psyllid Program – Serve as US Chair - Coordination Group 

2009 FAO/IAEA Expert Mission – To assess fruit fly free status of Azuero Peninsula in Panama – March 16-21, 2009 

2008 Invited Speaker – American Phytopatholgical Society Annual Meeting - Minneapolis, MN - July 27-29, 2008 

Invited Speaker – NAPPO International Workshop on Huanglongbing – Hermosillo, Mexico – May 7-9, 2008 

Invited Speaker -- County Agricultural Standards & Agricultural Professionals Annual Meeting in Monterey, 

California January 19-20, 2008 

2007 Delivered lecture on Citrus Health Response Program at Citrus Research & Education Center in Lake Alfred, 

Florida. 

Delivered lecture on Citrus Health Response Program at Indian River Research & Education Center in Ft. Pierce, 

Florida 

Presentation given at National Plant Board Annual Meeting held in Honolulu, Hawaii - August 20-24, 2007 

2005 Member of FAO Expert Working Group on IPPC Guidelines for the Recognition of Pest Free Areas and Areas of 

Low Pest Prevalence – Rome, Italy - October 3-7, 2005 

2003 Delivered lecture on Medfly eradication measures conducted in Guatemala & Mexico (MOSCAMED) at 

FAO/IAEA Inter-regional Training Course on Area-wide Control of Insect Pests Using the Sterile Insect Technique 

held at USDA Sterile Insect Facility in Sarasota, Florida, USA.

2002 Served as Chairperson of the International Steering Committee for the 6th International Symposium on Page 5 

Fruit Flies of Economic Importance held in Stellenbosch, South Africa - May 6-10, 2002 

1999 Served as Lecturer at FAO/IAEA Inter-regional Training Course on Area-wide Control of Insect Pests Using 

Sterile Insect Technique held at the University of Florida, Gainesville. 

1997 Organized 4 week Regional Training Course in Madeira, Portugal on Area-wide control of fruit flies in the 

Mediterranean Area with emphasis on the use of sterile insect technique. Apart from developing curriculum, also 

recruited lecturers and served as course lecturer. Served as facilitator for International Consultant's Meeting to 

establish international standards for product control procedures to assess quality of mass-reared fruit flies. Also 

served as an editor of the revised quality control manual. 

List specific experience, not given above, related to the transfer of scientific and technical knowledge with special 

emphasis on developing countries and on project management: 

Over 41 years of experience in international and national plant health programs as follows: 

• Area-wide plant pest eradication programs in the U.S., Latin America, the Mediterranean & Near East Regions 

dealing with fruit flies, boll weevil, & codling moth. 

• Agricultural quarantine and pre-clearance inspections in the U.S., Latin America, Mediterranean & Near East. 

• Domestic and foreign pest surveillance & detection in the U.S., Latin America, Mediterranean & Near East including 

pest data reporting and information management systems/GIS. 

• Emergency response to pest outbreaks in the U.S., Latin America, the Mediterranean & Near East. 

• Worked with others to establish pest free zones in Sonora & Baja California Sur, Mexico (fruit fly free area); Arava 

Valley, Israel; Peten, Guatemala and Belize. 

• Mass-rearing & release of sterile insects for control & eradication in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Madeira (Portugal), 

Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Gaza Strip, Crete, Syrian Arab Republic, South Africa. 

• Bilateral negotiations with other countries on trade matters and plant health-related issues. 

• Supervised foreign national employees, mostly professionals, in Mexico and Guatemala 

• Accredited as a diplomat with APHIS and the UN/IAEA. 

• Tenured into the APHIS Foreign Service in 1986 and re-appointed in 2000. 

• Selected by UN/FAO as Chief of Plant Quarantine in 1996, but declined offer to work for Joint FAO/IAEA Division 

in Food & Agriculture, Insect & Pest Control Section, in Vienna, Austria instead. 

• Worked on development of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures and drafted ISPM for Pest Free Areas 

for NAPPO. 

• Specialized background in irradiation for sterilization and quarantine security. Also knowledgeable about dosimetry. 

• Completed five separate foreign assignments as follows: Tapachula, Mexico 1983-85; Guatemala City, Guatemala 

1985-88; Hermosillo, Mexico 1988-89; Vienna, Austria 1996-2000: Guatemala City 2000-2005. 

2006 Served as National Project Coordinator for the Citrus Health Response Program which was a highly controversial, 

and politically charged position that required considerable tact and diplomacy. 

2002 Served as Chairperson - International Steering Committee for the 6th International Symposium on Fruit Flies of 

Economic Importance, Stellenbosch, South Africa. 

2000-2005 Served as Assistant Regional Director of the Moscamed Eradication Program preventing the spread of the 

Medfly from Chiapas into the interior of Mexico, oversaw the management including budget for rearing 3.5 billion 

sterile insects per weeks that consistently met International Quality standards for performance. 

1996-2000 Regional Plant Protection Expert for the International Atomic Energy Agency - planned and implemented 6 

projects within the Eastern Mediterranean aimed at area-wide use of sterile insects for control of Medfly & codling 

moth. Provided technical advise for Technical Cooperation Projects in Crete (Greece), Hashemite Kingdom of 

Jordan, Lebanon, Madeira (Portugal), Syrian Arab Republic, and the State of Israel. 

1998 Served as Chairperson - International Steering Committee for the Fifth International Symposium on Fruit Flies of 

Economic Importance, Penang, Malaysia 

1997 Organized 4 week Regional Training Course in Madeira, Portugal on Area-wide control of fruit flies in the 

Mediterranean Area with emphasis on the use of sterile insect technique. Apart from developing curriculum, also 

recruited lecturers and served as course lecturer. Served as facilitator for International Consultant's Meeting to 

establish international standards for product control procedures to assess quality of mass-reared fruit flies. Also 

served as an editor of the revised quality control manual. 

1995 Expert FAO Consultant - reviewed pest control campaigns conducted by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture to 

control and eradicate introduced pests. Expert IAEA Consultant - Developed an operational plan for Area-wide 

Medfly Control and Eradication in the Near East (EASTMED Project). Appointed to California Governor's Exotic 

Pest Eradication Task Force.

1994 Drafted Pest Free Area Standard for NAPPO. Served on Working Group of International Consultative Group 

on Food Irradiation. Drafted APHIS Policy on Use of Irradiation as a Quarantine Treatment. 1993 Received 

Performance Award. Expert IAEA Consultant - Determined the feasibility of establishing fruit fly free zones in 

Morocco 

1993 - Organized and directed ARS-APHIS Mini-Workshop to Review USDA Fruit Fly Research. Participant to USDA 

Workshop on Alternatives to Methyl Bromide 

Participated in IOBC Working Group on Quality Control of Mass-Reared Arthropods held in Rimini, Italy. 

1992 Received Performance Award. Keynote Speaker at Fourth International Fruit Fly Symposium, San Key, Florida. 

Participant in Western Hemisphere Working Group to Control Fruit Flies. 

1991 ARS-APHIS Joint Committee to develop a comprehensive USDA Plan for Fruit Flies Research. 

1990-96 Appointed Leader of the APHIS Fruit Fly Working Group by the APHIS Administrator 

1990 Received Performance Award. Appointed by APHIS Administrator to conduct Quality Assessment of Medfly 

Emergency Project in Los Angeles. Chaired group developing APHIS Strategic Plan For Dealing With Fruit Flies. 

1987 Organized and participated in IOBC Working Group on Quality Control of Mass-Reared Arthropods – Guatemala 

City, Guatemala. Received Meritorious Service Award while serving as Foreign Service Officer. 

1986 Received Meritorious Service Award while serving as FS officer. 

1985 Received Meritorious Service Award while serving as FS officer. 

1985 Participated in IOBC Working Group on Quality Control of Mass-Reared Arthropods – Wadenswil, Switerland 

Page 6 

List special qualifications and skills confirmed by licenses held and membership in professional, civic, public or 

international societies or institutions relevant to your application: 

2008-2012 Member - American Phytopathological Society 


From: 2000-08-08 To: 2005-07-24 Title of position: Assistant Regional Director 

APHIS Foreign Service Assignment 

Employer (name and address) and type of business: Number and kind of staff supervised: 


900 employees - Professional/Technical & Administrative 


International Services 

Regional Medfly Program (Programa Moscamed) 

Guatemala City, Guatemala 

Duties: As Assistant Regional Director, I managed a multi-million dollar program within Guatemala, Mexico and Belize. 

This involved rebuilding program infrastructure including the construction of new rearing and emergence facilities, 

acquiring new equipment for rearing and release of sterile insects, and training and supervising program employees in all 

three countries. Sterile insect production capacity was increased from 450 million per week up to 4 billion sterile insects 

per week. Emergence facilities were increased from 200 million per week to 2.5 billion per week. New chilled insect 

release equipment was designed and constructed increasing the capacity to release 80 million insects per flight compared 

to 4.5 million previously. Male-only genetic sexing strain was put into full production significantly increasing sterile 

insect rearing capacity and greater efficiency in sterile insect releases. Apart from new production facilities, new 

warehouses were constructed and novel ways to process and store diet ingredients in bulk. An new organic baitformulation 

was tested as a substitute for malathion bait to control fruit flies. The new bait was applied weekly by air 

over 170,000 hectares of coffee along the south coast of Guatemala. The new bait was shown not to affect honeybees. 

Four aircraft were used to release sterile insects daily. Multi-engine aircraft and helicopters were used to apply bait sprays 

from January through March each year. Treatments also were applied using tractors and backpack sprayers. There were 

over 500 employees working at the El Pino Rearing Facilities and approximately 400 employees conducting trapping, 

quarantine inspections at road stations, fruit sampling/collection, pesticide applications.


Page 7 

From: 1996-09-04 To: 2000-04-30 Title of position: Regional Project Manager 


International Atomic Energy Agency 

Joint FAO/IAEA Programme 

Nuclear Techniques in Food & Agriculture 

Wagramerstrasse 5, PO Box-100 

A-1400 Vienna, Austria 

Number and kind of staff supervised: None 

Duties: Conduct project planning, preparation of work plans, strategies, logistics & budgets. Promote projects & seek 

extrabudgetary sources of funding from Member States & other potential donor institutions. Implement projects, 

including preparation of equipment needs, procurement requests, job descriptions, expert missions, fellowship 

applications and project evaluations. Coordinate insect control projects in the Mediterranean and West Asia with Member 

States and institutions. Organize workshops, training courses, and technical review meetings. Prepared reports for 

counterparts, donors and institutions involved. 

From: 1993-06-01 To: 1996-09-03 Title of position: Assistant Director - Science & Technology 





International Services - Operational Support 

4700 River Road - Unit 67 

Riverdale, Maryland 20737 

Duties: Identified short- & long-term needs/priorities for research & development for animal & plant health activities. 

Developed recommendations & actively promoted S&T/R&D projects to improve APHIS program delivery in areas of 

animal & plant pest & disease exclusion, detection, surveillance, pest identification/diagnostics, control, eradication, and 

inspection/certification of agricultural commodities for imports and exports. Tracked & reported progress on S&T/R&D 

projects. Coordinated technical reviews, technology transfer from/to US from/to other countries. 

From: 1990-05-01 To: 1993-05-31 Title of position: Staff Officer – Foreign Pest Programs 




International Services - Operational Support 

6505 Belcrest Road 

Hyattsville, Maryland 20782 


Duties: Provided technical expertise and assistance to APHIS management and line programs for plant pest operations 

in foreign locations. Identified program goals & objectives. Developed strategic & operational plans, annual program 

budgets for submission to the Department & the U.S. Congress. Drafted international cooperative agreements & 

negotiated work plans with foreign cooperators. Conducted on-site program reviews for technical, operational, 

administrative & management efficiency & effectiveness. Advised program managers on best methods. Monitored 

progress of pest programs. Implement projects, including preparation of equipment needs, procurement requests, job 

descriptions, site reviews and project evaluations. Coordinate insect control projects in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central 

and South America with foreign governments and institutions. Organize workshops, training courses, and technical 

review meetings. Prepared reports for counterparts, donors and institutions involved. Responsible for overseeing 

MOSCAMED eradication and development of new technologies.


Page 8 

From: 1989-07-05 To: 1990-04-30 Title of position: Agriculturist – Plant Pest Program Management 

Employer (name and address) and type of business: Number & kind of staff supervised: None 



Policy & Program Development 

Plant Protection Management Systems 

6500 Belcrest Road 

Hyattsville, Maryland 20782 

Duties: Responsible for design and development of new or improvement to plant protection programs within APHIS. 

Identified critical management issues and trends. Proposed actions to be taken by the Agency in response to new pest 

threats. Served on planning and review teams including the Hawaiian Governor's Task Force to Deal with Exotic Fruit 

Flies to evaluate feasibility of eradicating four fruit flies species. Identified new plant pest threats and evaluated potential 

pathways of introduction and risks to US agriculture. Assessed National research needs and priorities for dealing with 

exotic fruit fly species, developed a National Strategic Plan for Fruit Flies, drafted a National Policy on the Use of 

Irradiation, and conducted a study to eradicate melon fly from Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands. Headed up a comprehensive admininistrative and operational program review of Medfly eradication project in 

Los Angeles . 

From: 1988-07-01 To: 1989-07-04 Title of position: Work Unit Supervisor/Officer-in-Charge 





International Programs 

U.S. Consulate - Hermosillo 

Sonora, Mexico 


Number & kind of staff supervised: 66 - foreign national staff 

Duties: Served as work unit supervisor overseeing cooperative plant health programs in the Mexican states of Baja 

California Norte, Baja California Sur, Sonora and Chihuahua. Directed the activities of 66 Spanish-speaking foreign 

national personnel. Managed cooperative programs within Mexico dealing with exportation of peaches and oranges from 

the Sonora Pest Free Area, agricultural quarantine at airports and road stations, exotic pest detection, fruit fly surveillance 

and suppression using sterile Mexican fruit flies along the US-Mexico border, biological control of Hydrilla (federal 

noxious weeds) using sterile triploid carp, detection & eradication of cotton bollweevil in northern Sonora and 

Chihuahua, control of fruit fly outbreaks within fruit fly free areas, developing & revising protocols and work plans. 

From: 1985-06-01 To: 1988-06-30 Title of position: Assistant Area Director - Central America & 

MOSCAMED Director 







Guatemala City, Guatemala 

Number & kind of staff supervised: 12 - foreign national staff 

Duties: Served as Assistant Area Director for Plant Health Programs in Central America & Panama. I also served as 

Director of the MOSCAMED Eradication Program in Guatemala, Belize and Mexico. I directed the day-to-day activities 

of 12 foreign national personnel and provided managerial oversight to the multi-national MOSCAMED Cooperative 

Program with over 900 employees, two mass-rearing facilities for production and release of sterile insects, a fleet of over 

250 vehicles. Managed cooperative programs for the USDA within the Central America included exportation of mangoes 

treated with methyl bromide, exotic fruit fly detection, release of sterile Mediterranean fruit flies, aerial application of 

insecticidal baits to control Medfly, detection of the Africanized honey bee in Central America, plant health training on 

pest identification and fumigation, operation of quarantine road stations and control of fruit fly outbreaks within fruit fly 

free areas. I provided oversight into the design and construction of fruit fly rearing and release facilities, procurement of 

spray equipment, new vehicles, equipment for use in mass-rearing Medflies and insect diet ingredients.


Page 9 

From: 1983-09-01 To: 1985-06-01 Title of position: U.S. Co-Director – MOSCAMED Program 


Employer (name and address) and type of business: Number & kind of staff supervised: 10 foreign national staff 





Tapachula, Chiapas, MEXICO 

Duties: Served as the U.S. Co- Director for the MOSCAMED Eradication Program in Mexico. I directed the day-to-day 

activities of 10 foreign national personnel and provided managerial oversight to the multi-national MOSCAMED 

Cooperative Program activities conducted within southern Mexico below the Istmus of Tehuantepec. Activities carried 

out included exotic fruit fly detection, release of sterile Mediterranean fruit flies, aerial application of insecticidal baits to 

control Medfly, protection of honeybees, plant health training on pest identification and fumigation, operation of 

quarantine road stations and control of fruit fly outbreaks within fruit fly free areas.

2013 P Gomes Personal History.pdf - Phytosanitary Resources

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