Elden is a program specialist at NIFA and the coordination and implementation of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. He has been with USDA since 2012 and his scientific expertise includes coastal ecosystems, natural resource management, fisheries, and public policy. Elden holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and Marine Science and a M.S. in Food and Agriculture with a concentration in Natural Resource Management both from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.