Sylvia Mathews Burwell has been named the next president of American University in Washington, D.C.
Burwell, who is the former secretary of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama, will become American University's 15th, and first female president, taking over her duties on June 1.
"My family and I are honored and excited to become a part of this vibrant AU community," Burwell said in a statement. "American University's distinctive mix of academic strengths, its influential scholars, engaged students, successful alumni and extraordinary location are great assets."
Burwell served as the 22nd Secretary of HHS from 2014 through the end of President Obama's second term.
Rep. Tom Price, R-Georgia, has been nominated by President Donald Trump to become the next secretary of HHS.
Burwell succeeds Neil Kerwin as president of American University, following a competitive national search.
"Secretary Burwell's success at HHS reflects three key abilities that will make her an excellent president for our university. She fosters research and scholarship, and turns them into action. She embraces and leverages the strengths of a large, diverse institution to advance its goals, and she is able to convey complex ideas to a wide range of audiences, from members of congress to the public, in pushing for evidence-based actions and outcomes," said Kiho Kim, professor of environmental science at AU and a member of the Presidential Search Committee.
During her tenure, HHS advanced comprehensive reform of the nation's healthcare system through value-based care initiatives and the Affordable Care Act.
Burwell, a Rhodes Scholar, earned a bachelor's degree in Government from Harvard University, and earned another in Philosophy, Policy and Economics from the University of Oxford.
Prior to serving at HHS, Burwell was director of the Office of Management and Budget, also a Cabinet position.
She also held leadership roles in the Clinton Administration, including as Deputy Chief of Staff to the President and Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of Treasury.
Burwell has managed large organizations across the public and private sector. Prior to her roles in the Obama Administration, she was president of the Walmart Foundation, where she led efforts to fight hunger in America, empower women around the world and improve local communities. Previously, she served at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a decade as chief operating officer and then as the founding president of the Gates Foundation's Global Development Program, where she helped advance solutions to global public health issues.
