President Barack Obama to Nominate VCU Alumna to Lead Medicare and Medicaid
President Barack Obama announced last week his intent to nominate VCU Nursing alumna Marilyn Tavenner, M.H.A., B.S.N., R.N., to serve as administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Tavenner has served as principal deputy administrator of CMS since February 2010. She will serve as acting administrator during her confirmation process.
Previously, Tavenner served as Virginia’s Secretary of Health and Human Resources in the administration of former Governor Tim Kaine. Before entering government service, she spent more than 25 years working at Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), where she rose through the ranks from a staff nursing position to become CEO of Johnston-Willis Hospital. She completed her HCA career as president of outpatient services at the national level. Tavenner has served as a board member of the American Hospital Association and as president of the Virginia Hospital Association.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in health administration from VCU.
