Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson appointed Jerome M. Hauer, MHS, as acting Assistant Secretary of Public Health Emergency Preparedness. The new position was created when President Bush signed the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 on June 12, according to a statement released by HHS. Hauer had been serving HHS as director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness since May 3. In a statement, Secretary Thompson said, "Jerry Hauer will lead HHS efforts to strengthen our nation’s ability to respond to acts of terrorism and, simultaneously, our nation’s public health infrastructure." Hauer is a graduate of the School, a member of the School’s Health Advisory Board, and a member of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies' Working Group on Civilian Biodefense. He also received the School’s Society of Alumni Outstanding U.S. Alumnus Award in Public Health Practice in 1995. HHS Press Release School Alumnus to Head Office of Public Health Preparedness Public Affairs Media Contact for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Tim Parsons @ 410.955.6878 or paffairs@jhsph.edu.
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