The FDA has named Jessica Zeller as the next director of the Center for Tobacco Products’ Office of Compliance and Enforcement. She takes up the role on Nov 1, 2026, and will run the unit that polices the US market for unauthorized tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.
A homecoming, not a fresh hire
This is not Zeller’s first tour in the office. She served as its inaugural deputy director from July 2011 through June 2013, helping direct nationwide tobacco compliance and enforcement planning and operations. She is returning to the office she helped stand up more than a decade ago.
Her earlier FDA career includes a spell as the agency’s inaugural ombudsman for the Office of Regulatory Affairs, now the Office of Inspections and Investigations, plus time as an associate chief counsel and trial attorney in the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.
Zeller’s career timeline
| Chapter | Role |
|---|---|
| FDA Office of Chief Counsel | Associate chief counsel and trial attorney |
| Office of Regulatory Affairs | Inaugural ombudsman (now the Office of Inspections and Investigations) |
| 2011 to 2013 | Inaugural deputy director, CTP Office of Compliance and Enforcement |
| Most recently | Vice president, corporate counsel, and general counsel for quality at Edwards Lifesciences |
| From Nov 1, 2026 | Director, CTP Office of Compliance and Enforcement |
Two decades across both sides of the desk
Most recently, Zeller was vice president, corporate counsel, and general counsel for quality at Edwards Lifesciences, the medical-device manufacturer, advising on compliance strategy, governance, and risk across manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. With her FDA years added, she brings more than 20 years of experience in compliance, enforcement, and regulatory affairs.
Why vape sellers should pay attention
The appointment lands while CTP continues enforcement against unauthorized tobacco products, using inspections, warning letters, civil monetary penalties, and other regulatory actions. This office decides which products stay on shelves, and only a small set of authorized vape products currently holds FDA marketing authorization.
According to the agency, her selection followed multiple interview panels, ethics and security reviews, and the Office of Personnel Management’s Senior Executive Service process. Her credentials include a biology degree from Xavier University, a law degree, and a master’s degree in bioethics from the University of Virginia.
One point of confusion to clear up: former CTP director Mitch Zeller, who led the center from 2013 to 2022, is a different person, and there is no confirmed relation between the two Zellers. The appointment arrives alongside other personnel moves at the agency, including the FDA’s latest advisory panel appointments to its tobacco advisory panel.
Source: FDA Center for Tobacco Products announcement, October 2026, via Nicotine Insider.