Sylvia Mary Burwell (; born June 23, 1965) is an American government and non-profit executive who has been the 15th
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
of
American University
The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...
since June 1, 2017. Burwell is the first woman to serve as the university's president. Burwell earlier served as the 22nd
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...
. President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
nominated Burwell on April 11, 2014. Burwell's nomination was confirmed by the Senate on June 5, 2014, by a vote of 78–17. She served as Secretary until the end of the Obama administration. Previously, she was the Director of the White House
Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...
from 2013 to 2014.
A
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
native, Burwell first worked for the United States government in Washington, D.C., during the
presidency of Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton's tenure as the 42nd president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1993, and ended on January 20, 2001. Clinton, a Democrat from Arkansas, took office following a decisive election victory over Re ...
. Burwell helped form the
National Economic Council in 1993. Burwell later served as Chief of Staff to Secretary of the Treasury
Robert Rubin
Robert Edward Rubin (born August 29, 1938) is an American retired banking executive, lawyer, and former government official. He served as the 70th United States Secretary of the Treasury during the Clinton administration. Before his government ...
, Deputy White House Chief of Staff to
Erskine Bowles
Erskine Boyce Bowles (born August 8, 1945) is an American businessman and political figure from North Carolina. He served from 2005 to 2010 as the president of the University of North Carolina system. In 1997–98 he served as White House Chi ...
, and finally, deputy director of the
Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...
.
Between her times in government, Burwell served as president of
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
's charitable foundation focused on ending hunger, beginning in January 2012. Burwell was earlier the president of the Global Development Program of the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was l ...
, where her program focused on combating world poverty through agricultural development, financial services for the poor, and global libraries. She was
chief operating officer
A chief operating officer or chief operations officer, also called a COO, is one of the highest-ranking executive positions in an organization, composing part of the "C-suite". The COO is usually the second-in-command at the firm, especially if t ...
and executive director before its reorganization in 2006. She joined the Gates Foundation in 2001, at the end of the Clinton presidency.
Early life and education
Mathews was born and raised in
Hinton,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
, a small town with a population of approximately 3,000.
Her mother, Cleo (née Maroudas) Mathews, was a teacher who also served as Hinton's mayor from 2001 to 2009, and Dr.William Peter Mathews, an optometrist.
Her father presided over the local
Episcopal Church when there was no minister.
Her maternal grandparents, Vasiliki (Mpakares) and Dennis N. Maroudas, were Greek immigrants, as were her paternal grandparents.
Her grandparents owned a sweet shop in Hinton.
Mathews has one older sister, four years her senior.
Mathews first showed an interest in politics while still in
grade school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
, when she became involved with her best friend's father's campaign for county commissioner and
Jay Rockefeller
John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV (born June 18, 1937) is a retired American politician who served as a United States senator from West Virginia (1985–2015). He was first elected to the Senate in 1984, while in office as governor of West Virg ...
's first campaign for governor. Mathews served as her student body president and played on her school's basketball team.
She graduated as
valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title for the highest-performing student of a graduating class of an academic institution.
The valedictorian is commonly determined by a numerical formula, generally an academic institution's grade point average (GPA ...
of her high school class.
In 1982, she was a
Youth For Understanding
Youth For Understanding (YFU) is an international educational exchange organization. A network of over 50 independent national organizations worldwide, YFU representatives work together to advance learning across cultures.
Each year, YFU exchang ...
exchange student in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. While still in college, she served as an intern for
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
Congressman
Nick Rahall
Nicholas Joseph Rahall II (born May 20, 1949) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 2015. He is the longest-serving member ever of the United States Hous ...
,
as a governor's aide to
Governor
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis (; born November 3, 1933) is an American retired lawyer and politician who served as governor of Massachusetts from 1975 to 1979 and again from 1983 to 1991. He is the longest-serving governor in Massachusetts history a ...
, and as a researcher for the
Michael Dukakis 1988 presidential campaign
The 1988 presidential campaign of Michael Dukakis began when he announced his candidacy for the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States on March 16, 1987, in a speech in Boston. After winning the nomination, he was formal ...
.
Mathews earned a Bachelor of Arts degree government from
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
in 1987.
She then enrolled at the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
, where she became a
Rhodes Scholar
The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom.
Established in 1902, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. It is considered among the world' ...
at
Worcester College
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in 1714 by the benefaction of Sir Thomas Cookes, 2nd Baronet (1648–1701) of Norgrove, Worcestershire, whose coat of arms w ...
, and, in her spare time, a rower.
[ She graduated from Oxford with a second bachelor's degree in philosophy, politics, and economics.] She has since been appointed as an honorary fellow
Honorary titles (professor, reader, lecturer) in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties. This practice primarily exists in the UK and Germany, as well as in m ...
of Worcester College.
Career
Early career and the Clinton White House
Mathews began her career in 1990 as an associate at the New York consulting firm McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm founded in 1926 by University of Chicago professor James O. McKinsey, that offers professional services to corporations, governments, and other organizations. McKinsey is the oldest and ...
. In 1992, Mathews joined the Bill Clinton 1992 presidential campaign and led the economic team for the president-elect. Following Clinton's inauguration, Mathews, with Robert Rubin
Robert Edward Rubin (born August 29, 1938) is an American retired banking executive, lawyer, and former government official. He served as the 70th United States Secretary of the Treasury during the Clinton administration. Before his government ...
, helped establish the National Economic Council (NEC). She served as staff director of the NEC from 1993 to 1995. While Mathews was at NEC, the White House pushed for healthcare reform. Mathews was among those in the administration who advocated for finding ways, apart from legislation, to curb healthcare costs.
When Rubin became secretary of the treasury
The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
in 1995, Mathews became his chief of staff. She testified before a Senate committee during the Whitewater investigations regarding her search of Vince Foster
Vincent Walker Foster Jr. (January 15, 1945 – July 20, 1993) was an American attorney who served as deputy White House counsel during the first six months of the Clinton administration.
Foster had been a partner at Rose Law Firm in Littl ...
's garbage and the fate of the documents she discovered. Mathews told the committee she had been looking for an indication as to why Foster had committed suicide and denied ordering any documents destroyed.
In 1997 Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles
Erskine Boyce Bowles (born August 8, 1945) is an American businessman and political figure from North Carolina. He served from 2005 to 2010 as the president of the University of North Carolina system. In 1997–98 he served as White House Chi ...
recruited Mathews for deputy chief of staff after being impressed with her intelligence during an Oval Office
The Oval Office is the formal working space of the President of the United States. Part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, it is located in the West Wing of the White House, in Washington, D.C.
The oval-shaped room ...
meeting. Mathews became one of two deputy chiefs of staff, serving alongside John Podesta
John David Podesta Jr. (born January 8, 1949) is an American political consultant who has served as Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden for clean energy innovation and implementation since September 2022. Podesta previously served as White ...
. She was deputy chief of staff for policy, charged with the task of keeping the White House focused on its agenda amid the impeachment of Clinton.
Bowles later praised her as smart, hardworking, and skilled at getting people to work together, saying, "I've never known one person who does all those things as well." Bowles resigned in 1998, at which point Podesta was named chief of staff, and Mathews moved to the Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...
(OMB), where she took the role of deputy director under Jack Lew
Jacob Joseph Lew (born August 29, 1955) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 76th United States Secretary of the Treasury from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he also served as the 25th White House Chief of S ...
. Mathews remained at OMB for the remainder of Clinton's presidency during a time of three budget surpluses.
Charitable foundations and other private sector activities
In 2001 Mathews relocated to Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
, to work for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was ...
, the largest philanthropic organization in the United States, as an executive vice president. The following year, she became chief operating officer
A chief operating officer or chief operations officer, also called a COO, is one of the highest-ranking executive positions in an organization, composing part of the "C-suite". The COO is usually the second-in-command at the firm, especially if t ...
of the Foundation. The Foundation reorganized in 2006, naming Mathews president of the foundation's Global Development Program. Mathews was involved in awarding grants to improve health outcomes in the developing world, including stopping the spread of HIV and other diseases and making contraception more readily available.
She served on the board of the University of Washington Medical Center
The University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) is a hospital in the University District of Seattle, Washington. It is one of the teaching hospitals affiliated with the University of Washington School of Medicine.And is located in the War ...
from 2002 to 2005. During that time, the board oversaw an upgrade to the medical center's electronic medical records and system for tracking patient outcomes. The board was also tasked with setting up a compliance program to fix a Medicare billing irregularity that had resulted in a settlement with federal investigators. She was a Director of MetLife
MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, wi ...
and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company from January 2004 to April 2013. Mathews also served on the boards of the Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank
A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mi ...
and the Nike Foundation Advisory Group.
In 2005 Mathews was chosen by the ''Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' as one of ''The 50 Women to Watch2005'' worldwide for her work with the Gates Foundation. In 2008, known as Sylvia Mathews Burwell following her 2007 marriage, she was named Obama/Biden Transition Agency Review Lead for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is one of two agencies that supply deposit insurance to depositors in American depository institutions, the other being the National Credit Union Administration, which regulates and insures cred ...
. Burwell remained with the Gates Foundation until 2011. She officially joined the Wal-Mart Foundation, which focuses on ending hunger in the United States, as the organization's president in January 2012. Burwell relocated to Bentonville, Arkansas
Bentonville is the List of cities and towns in Arkansas, tenth-largest city in Arkansas, United States and the county seat of Benton County, Arkansas, Benton County. The city is centrally located in the county with Rogers, Arkansas, Rogers adja ...
, for the position.
Office of Management and Budget Director
On March 3, 2013, President Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
nominated Burwell to be the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. A confirmation hearing was held on April 10. Burwell's nomination received bipartisan support, culminating in the U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
confirming Burwell as Director by a 96–0 vote. With her confirmation, Burwell became only the second woman to serve as OMB Director, the first being Alice Rivlin
Alice Mitchell Rivlin (born Georgianna Alice Mitchell; March 4, 1931 – May 14, 2019) was an American economist and budget official. She served as the 16th Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve from 1996 to 1999. Before her appointment at the F ...
, who held the position from 1994 to 1996.
Burwell entered the job at a time when conservatives wanted to decrease spending and defund Obama's signature healthcare legislation, the Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and colloquially known as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presid ...
, also known as Obamacare. Although Congress tried to negotiate a continuing resolution
In the United States, a continuing resolution (often abbreviated to CR) is a type of appropriations legislation. An appropriations bill is a bill that appropriates (gives to, sets aside for) money to specific federal government departments, ag ...
to fund the government pending negotiation of the larger budget, it became clear on September 30, 2013, that no temporary agreement would be reached. Without an agreed-upon budget from Congress, Burwell as Director was tasked with initiating a federal government shutdown, the first U.S. federal government shutdown in 17 years. Burwell sent a memo advising agencies and executive departments to shut down, including the closing of national parks, visitors' centers, and even the " panda-cam" at the National Zoo. The shutdown lasted 16 days. Once the government reopened, Burwell helped negotiate a two-year budget deal to avoid future shutdowns.
Health and Human Services secretary
On April 11, 2014, Obama nominated Burwell to be the next secretary of health and human services
The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...
, succeeding Kathleen Sebelius
Kathleen Sebelius (; née Gilligan, born May 15, 1948) is an American businesswoman and politician who served as the 21st United States secretary of Health and Human Services from 2009 until 2014. As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sebeli ...
, who had announced her resignation the day before. At the time of her nomination, Obama praised Burwell as a "proven manager and she knows how to deliver results." The Senate confirmed Burwell as Secretary on June 5, 2014, by a vote of 78–17. She was sworn into office on June 9, 2014. As of 2014, the secretary oversaw the Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the U.S. federal government created to protect the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is " ...
(HHS), which included the equivalent of 77,000 full-time employees and the management of several agencies and programs including Medicare and Medicaid
Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and pers ...
, the National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late ...
, the Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...
, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
. At the end of her tenure, Burwell received praise from Democratic and Republican senators.
Ebola epidemic response
With an Ebola epidemic devastating West Africa, Burwell began holding daily meetings on July 28, 2014, as part of the efforts of the United States government, including the Department of HHS, to prevent the further spread of the disease. Starting on September 30, other Obama administration officials began giving daily public briefings while Burwell took less of a public role, although she did take part in a number of public meetings. In the fall of 2014, the first known death from Ebola
Ebola, also known as Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), is a viral hemorrhagic fever in humans and other primates, caused by ebolaviruses. Symptoms typically start anywhere between two days and three weeks after becom ...
in the United States occurred. The Obama administration proposed devoting $6billion to fight the spread of Ebola, including $2billion for the State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
and USAID
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...
. The plan included provisions to help U.S. hospitals become better prepared and to support global health initiatives aimed at containing the disease in Africa. Congress allocated $5.4billion to fight Ebola in response to the Obama administration request. Burwell and other Obama administration officials sought to assure the public that the American health system was prepared to deal with Ebola cases and that the chances of a full outbreak in the United States were low.
Zika response
In February 2016, in response to the spread of the Zika virus, the Obama administration requested that Congress appropriate $1.9billion to fight the spread of the disease. Congress did not initially take action, leaving Burwell to direct the Department of Health and Human Services to reprogram $589million in funds previously designated as part of the response to Ebola, to fight the spread of the Zika virus.
Of the initial Zika funding, the Centers for Disease Control
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
(CDC) received $222million to lead the domestic fight against the virus with the National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late ...
and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) office responsible for the procurement and development of medical countermeasures, principally against bioterrorism, in ...
splitting $152million for the domestic effort. In response to Congressional complaints that the money was not being spent fast enough, Burwell informed Congress that without further funding, the CDC would deplete its budget to fight Zika by September 30, 2016. After Burwell moved funding from other HHS programs, Congress finally appropriated $1.1billion to fight the spread of Zika in the United States. By the end of September 2016, the United States reported 23,000 cases in the territory of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, 3,000 cases in the states, and 21babies born in the United States with microcephaly
Microcephaly (from New Latin ''microcephalia'', from Ancient Greek μικρός ''mikrós'' "small" and κεφαλή ''kephalé'' "head") is a medical condition involving a smaller-than-normal head. Microcephaly may be present at birth or it ...
testing positive for Zika.
The Affordable Care Act
Burwell's tenure as HHS secretary began ahead of the Affordable Care Act's second open-enrollment period for healthcare insurance in November 2014. In preparation for the enrollment period, Burwell hired additional staff to coordinate operations. The first open-enrollment period, which had occurred during Secretary Sebelius' tenure, was marred by technical difficulties with the Healthcare.gov
HealthCare.gov is a health insurance exchange website operated by the United States federal government under the Provisions of the Affordable Care Act, provisions of the Affordable Care Act or ACA, commonly referred to as “Obamacare”, which c ...
website. In preparation for the second enrollment period, the HealthCare.gov website underwent various testing actions. The Secretary noted the website had been reconfigured, reducing the number of screens from over seventy to just over a dozen website pages to make the application process smoother.[Kaiser Health News and Health Affairs. Secretary Burwell on Health Care Policy.](_blank)
C-Span. (October 9, 2014). retrieved October 9, 2014.
Because of her position as Secretary of HHS, Burwell was the named party in multiple lawsuits related to the Affordable Care Act. One month into her tenure, the Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
decided '' Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby'', where the court struck down the implementation of the Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate as violating Hobby Lobby
Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., formerly Hobby Lobby Creative Centers, is an American retail company. It owns a chain of arts and crafts stores with a volume of over $5 billion in 2018. The chain has 969 stores in 47 US states. Hobby Lobby is owned by ...
's religious freedom. The Supreme Court also decided ''King v. Burwell
''King v. Burwell'', 576 U.S. 473 (2015), was a 6–3 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States interpreting provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Court's decision upheld, as consistent with the statute, ...
'', a case in which the Court upheld the Affordable Care Act's subsidies for healthcare plans purchased on federal exchanges.
In July 2016, ahead of the 2016 elections, Burwell began touring, giving speeches on the success of the Affordable Care Act and its potential for the future. The election resulted in Republicans winning control of the Presidency and Congress, having campaigned to repeal the law. Burwell continued to advocate for the Affordable Care Act, arguing it was "woven into the fabric of our nation". Since its inception, the law had led to coverage for 20million more people, and Burwell argued the complexity of the law meant that repealing any part would have effects throughout the healthcare system. Burwell and the Department of HHS devised the "Coverage Matters" campaign to increase public support for the law and to boost enrollment.
American University
Less than a week after leaving her position as HHS secretary, American University
The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...
announced Burwell would serve as the university's next president, its school's highest leadership position despite not having earned a masters or doctoral degree. Burwell began her tenure on June 1, 2017, becoming American's 15th president and the first woman to assume the role.
In 2020, Burwell was appointed by the Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank
A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mi ...
to co-chair (alongside Frances Townsend
Frances M. "Fran" Fragos Townsend (born December 28, 1961) is an American lawyer and business executive who served as Homeland Security Advisor to United States President George W. Bush from 2004 to 2007, and was formerly the executive vice pre ...
) the Independent Task Force on Improving Pandemic Preparedness.
Personal life
Mathews met lawyer
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...
and Seattle native Stephen Burwell in 2005 during her time working for the Gates Foundation. Burwell proposed in Bellepoint Park, a park Mathews had visited often as a child in Hinton, and the pair married in Seattle in 2007. The couple has two children.
During Burwell's tenure as Secretary of Health and Human Services, her husband stayed home to care for their children.
See also
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
* Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...
* List of female United States Cabinet members
The Cabinet of the United States, which is the principal advisory body to the president of the United States, has had 38 permanent female members serving as vice president or head of one of the federal executive departments and 31 wo ...
*
* Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (or Wilson Center) is a quasi-government entity and think tank which conducts research to inform public policy. Located in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washi ...
Notes
References
External links
Official bio
– U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
*
*
, -
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burwell, Sylvia Mathews
1965 births
Living people
21st-century American politicians
21st-century American women politicians
Alumni of Worcester College, Oxford
American chief operating officers
American people of Greek descent
American Rhodes Scholars
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation people
Businesspeople from West Virginia
Clinton administration personnel
Directors of the Office of Management and Budget
Harvard College alumni
Henry Crown Fellows
Leaders of American University
McKinsey & Company people
Obama administration cabinet members
People from Hinton, West Virginia
United States Department of the Treasury officials
United States Secretaries of Health and Human Services
Walmart people
West Virginia Democrats
White House Deputy Chiefs of Staff
Women heads of universities and colleges
Women members of the Cabinet of the United States