Who: Dr. Brett Giroir
Nominated as: HHS assistant secretary for health. In the role, Giroir would shepherd policy across 12 public health offices, including the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the Surgeon General's office and 10 regional operations. He would also oversee 10 presidential and secretarial advisory committees. The position was most recently filled by Dr. Karen DeSalvo. His nomination requires Senate confirmation.
Background: Giroir currently serves as CEO of biopharmaceutical company ViraCyte. He's also an adjunct professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Previously he was CEO at Texas A&M Health Science Center. In 2014, he was appointed by then-Gov. Rick Perry to chair a statewide task force on Ebola.
Early exit: Giroir served Texas A&M in administrative roles for seven years but admitted he was forced out of his post as head of the school’s health science center after a new chancellor replaced much of the school’s administrative staff.
