United States Secretary of Health and Human Services

government position

The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with health matters. The Secretary reports to the President of the United States. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet.

United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
Seal of the department
Flag of the secretary
Incumbent
Dorothy Fink
Acting

since January 20, 2025
United States Department of Health and Human Services
StyleMr. Secretary (informal)
The Honorable (formal)
Member ofthe United States Cabinet
Reports toPresident of the United States
SeatHubert H. Humphrey Building, Washington, D.C.
AppointerPresident of the United States
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthAt the President's Pleasure
Constituting instrumentReorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953
67 Stat. 631
42 U.S.C. § 3501
FormationApril 11, 1953; 71 years ago (1953-04-11)
First holderOveta Culp Hobby
SuccessionTwelfth[1]
DeputyUnited States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services
SalaryExecutive Schedule, Level I
Websitewww.hhs.gov

List of secretaries

change
Parties

  Democratic (9)   Republican (15)   Independent (2)

Status   Denotes acting HHS Secretary

Health, education, and welfare

change
No. Portrait Name State of residence Took office Left office President(s)
1   Oveta Culp Hobby Texas April 11, 1953 July 31, 1955 Dwight D. Eisenhower
(1953–1961)
2   Marion B. Folsom New York August 2, 1955 July 31, 1958
3   Arthur Flemming Ohio August 1, 1958 January 19, 1961
4   Abraham Ribicoff Connecticut January 21, 1961 July 13, 1962 John F. Kennedy
(1961–1963)
5   Anthony J. Celebrezze Ohio July 31, 1962 August 17, 1965
Lyndon B. Johnson
(1963–1969)
6   John W. Gardner California August 18, 1965 March 1, 1968
7   Wilbur J. Cohen Michigan May 16, 1968 January 20, 1969
8   Robert Finch California January 21, 1969 June 23, 1970 Richard Nixon
(1969–1974)
9   Elliot Richardson Massachusetts June 24, 1970 January 29, 1973
10   Caspar Weinberger California February 12, 1973 August 8, 1975
Gerald Ford
(1974–1977)
11   F. David Mathews Alabama August 8, 1975 January 20, 1977
12   Joseph A. Califano Jr. District of Columbia January 25, 1977 August 3, 1979 Jimmy Carter
(1977–1981)
13   Patricia Roberts Harris District of Columbia August 3, 1979 May 4, 1980[2]

Health and human services

change
No. Portrait Name State of residence Took office Left office President(s)
13   Patricia Roberts Harris District of Columbia May 4, 1980[2] January 20, 1981 Jimmy Carter
(1977–1981)
14   Richard Schweiker Pennsylvania January 22, 1981 February 3, 1983 Ronald Reagan
(1981–1989)
15   Margaret Heckler Massachusetts March 10, 1983 December 13, 1985
16   Otis Bowen Indiana December 13, 1985 March 1, 1989
17   Louis W. Sullivan Georgia March 1, 1989 January 20, 1993 George H. W. Bush
(1989–1993)
18   Donna Shalala Wisconsin January 22, 1993 January 20, 2001 Bill Clinton
(1993–2001)
19   Tommy Thompson Wisconsin February 2, 2001 January 26, 2005 George W. Bush
(2001–2009)
20   Mike Leavitt Utah January 26, 2005 January 20, 2009
  Charles E. Johnson Utah January 20, 2009 April 28, 2009 Barack Obama
(2009–2017)
21   Kathleen Sebelius Kansas April 28, 2009 June 9, 2014
22   Sylvia Mathews Burwell West Virginia June 9, 2014 January 20, 2017
  Norris Cochran Florida January 20, 2017 February 10, 2017 Donald Trump
(2017–2021)
23   Tom Price Georgia February 10, 2017 September 29, 2017
  Don J. Wright Virginia September 29, 2017 October 10, 2017
  Eric Hargan Illinois October 10, 2017 January 29, 2018
24   Alex Azar Indiana January 29, 2018 January 20, 2021
  Norris Cochran Florida January 20, 2021 March 19, 2021 Joe Biden
(2021–2025)
25   Xavier Becerra California March 19, 2021 January 20, 2025
  Dorothy Fink Pennsylvania January 20, 2025 Incumbent Donald Trump
(2025–present)
Nominee   Robert F. Kennedy Jr. California TBD

References

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  1. "3 U.S. Code § 19 - Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Harris was Secretary on May 4, 1980, when the office changed names from Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to Secretary of Health and Human Services. Because the department merely changed names, she did not need to be confirmed again, and her term continued uninterrupted.