Former Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell is taking the helm at American University, less than a week after leaving office.
Burwell is the first woman to hold the position of president at the university in Washington. The university said that her success at the agency, where she helped oversee former President Obama’s controversial healthcare law, makes her an excellent candidate.
“She fosters research and scholarship, and turns them into action,” said Kiho Kim, professor of environmental science at the university and a member of the search committee.
Before becoming HHS secretary in 2014, Burwell was the director of the Office of Management and Budget.
