Situation Report | July 20, 2021
Dr. Meena Seshamani, M.D., Ph.D. has been appointed as Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicare at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Dr. Seshamani most recently served as Vice President of Clinical Care Transformation at MedStar Health. She also cared for patients as an Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Seshamani also recently served on the leadership of the Biden-Harris Transition HHS Agency Review Team. Prior to MedStar Health, she was Director of the Office of Health Reform at HHS.
On July 9, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra swore in Dawn O’Connell as the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). O’Connell had previously served as a counselor to the Secretary.
ASPR is the Secretary’s principal advisor on public health emergencies. The office coordinates interagency activities between HHS, other federal agencies, and state and local officials responsible for emergency preparedness and the protection of the civilian population from public health emergencies.
Prior to this role, she was also Director of the U.S. Office for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation (CEPI), a global partnership to develop vaccines. Previously, O’Connell served as a Senior Counselor to Secretary Sylvia Burwell and Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary Sebelius at HHS (HHS) during the Obama-Biden Administration.