What’s it like to work in U.S. government? An insider’s perspective

A Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forum 

Working in the White House sounds glamorous. Running federal health programs sounds important. But what are these jobs really like? Our panelists will share the inside scoop: How they navigated tense politics, all-consuming crises, conflicting priorities, and (in some cases) a hostile press to advance the public health agendas of the Biden and Obama administrations. They’ll discuss their experiences and take your questions in this informal—but highly informative—discussion. 

Register for free to submit your questions.   

An on-demand video will be posted after the event. 

SPEAKERS

Sara Bleich, Professor of Public Health Policy, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Inaugural Vice Provost for Special Projects, Harvard University; Former Director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity, U.S. Department of Agriculture

David Blumenthal, Professor of the Practice of Public Health and Health Policy, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Former National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Former Professional Staff Member to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy

Benjamin Sommers, Professor of Health Care Economics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning & Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Rochelle Walensky, Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School and Senior Fellow, Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School; Former Director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

MODERATOR AND SPEAKER

Howard Koh, Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Faculty Chair, Initiative on Health and Homelessness; Former Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services