HHS Office Appointees

Sebelius Announces HHS Office of Health Reform Personnel

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius today announced
the establishment of the Department of Health and Human Services' Office
of Health Reform. This Office will spearhead the Department's efforts to
pass urgently needed health reform this year and coordinate closely with
the White House Office of Health Reform. Both offices were created by
an April 8 Executive Order to help deliver on one of President Obama's
top priorities.

"The skyrocketing cost of health care is crushing families and
businesses and we must enact health reform this year," said Secretary
Sebelius. "The HHS Office of Health Reform and the White House Office of
Health Reform will work in tandem to advance legislation and take
immediate actions to cut costs, assure quality and affordable health
care for all Americans, and guarantee Americans can choose their doctor
and their health plan."

The following key staff members have been appointed to the HHS Office of
Health Reform:

Jeanne Lambrew, PhD, Director of the HHS Office of Health Reform: Jeanne
Lambrew will lead the health reform effort in the Office, helping the
Secretary to marshal the experience and assets of the Department. Dr.
Lambrew was previously an associate professor at the LBJ School of
Public Affairs, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and
worked on health policy in the Clinton Administration.

Michael Hash, Senior Advisor: Michael Hash will serve as a Senior
Advisor, running the inter-agency process for developing specific
aspects of health reform legislation consistent with the President's
priorities. He will be an assignee at the White House Office of Health
Reform and assist in the preparation of Administration positions and in
communication with the Congress. Prior to his appointment, Hash held
senior positions at the Health Care Financing Administration (now CMS)
and on the staffs of the House Energy and Commerce Committee as well as
a private health policy consulting firm.

Neera Tanden, Senior Advisor: Neera Tanden will work on developing
health care policies for HHS and the Administration. She is the former
Domestic Policy Director for the Obama-Biden Campaign and Policy
Director for the Hillary Clinton campaign, and oversaw health care work
on both campaigns. She has worked in think tanks, in the Senate and in
the Clinton Administration.

Linda Douglass, Director of Communications: Linda Douglass will serve as
the Director of Communications in the Office of Health Reform, working
as an assignee at the White House Office of Reform, coordinating
communications. Before joining the administration, Douglass was a
traveling spokesperson for President Obama's 2008 campaign and was chief
spokesperson for the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009. She spent
most of her career as a journalist, most recently as a managing editor
for National Journal and prior to that as Chief Capitol Hill
Correspondent for ABC News.

Meena Seshamani, MD, PhD, Director of Policy Analysis: Meena Seshamani
will coordinate the quantitative and qualitative analyses on health
reform conducted throughout HHS. Before joining the administration, Dr.
Seshamani was a resident physician in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck
Surgery at Johns Hopkins University. She is a health economist who has
published widely on issues of health expenditures, health care
financing, and their impact on health outcomes.

Caya B. Lewis, MPH, Director of Outreach and Public Health Policy: Caya
Lewis will coordinate HHS outreach and interaction with stakeholders on
health reform. She will also advise the Office on prevention and public
health policy. Before joining the Administration Lewis was the Deputy
Staff Director for Health for the Senate HELP committee under the
chairmanship of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. She advised Senator Kennedy
on a range of issues including public health and prevention, community
health centers, health professions training and health disparities.

Jennifer Cannistra, Policy Analyst and Director of Special Projects:
Jennifer Cannistra will work as an assignee at the White House and will
lead special projects undertaken by the HHS Office of Health Reform that
require close coordination with the White House. Previously, Cannistra
served as the Pennsylvania State Policy Director for the Obama campaign.
Prior to joining Obama for America in September 2007, Cannistra served
as a law clerk to the Hon. Faith S. Hochberg, D.N.J. and as an attorney
in Washington, DC.

Karen Richardson, Outreach Coordinator: Karen Richardson will be
responsible for conducting outreach to stakeholders on behalf of HHS, as
an assignee at the White House Office, as it relates to advancing the
President's agenda for health reform. She was previously the Policy
Director at the Democratic National Committee (DNC). She was Policy
Director for Obama for America in Iowa and several states throughout the
presidential primary. Richardson began working for President Obama at
his Senate Office in August 2005, beginning as an intern and then
serving as Deputy to the Policy Director.

Michael Halle, Special Assistant: Michael Halle will be responsible for
coordinating office projects and activities as well as providing
research assistance. Halle worked for the Presidential Inaugural
Committee and Obama for America, contributing to field operations in
Iowa and North Carolina. Prior to joining the Obama campaign he was an
intern at the Center for American Progress with the health policy team.