The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra formally swore in Andrea Palm as deputy secretary of the department.
In this role, she manages the day-to-day operations of the department. “My focus will be on improving the lives and livelihoods of the American people: tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, efficiently and equitably distributing vaccines, expanding access to affordable healthcare, addressing the epidemic of substance use disorders, and improving mental healthcare,” Palm said.
Palm previously served as the secretary-designee of Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services and in several leadership roles at HHS during the Obama-Biden Administration.
In Wisconsin, she had responsibility for the state's Medicaid program, its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and behavioral health programs, among others. DHS is also Wisconsin's public health agency, and as such, Palm led the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Palm was born and raised in rural, upstate New York. She holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
