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One of many reasons I feel so optimistic about this new administration is because they're grabbing the best of the best to join them. I've had the pleasure of working with some at Harvard that I want to highlight here (short thread).
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They previously announced @RWalensky to lead CDC, so I won't cover this again. But do please take a listen here if you've never heard her present and you'll see why so many are excited about this appointment.
2/n https://twitter.com/j_g_allen/status/1349528067136512004?s=20
2/n https://twitter.com/j_g_allen/status/1349528067136512004?s=20
Next up is colleague and friend @DrBleich. Sara is senior advisor for COVID-19 in the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In that role, she’ll lead efforts related to the pandemic, economic recovery, and federal nutrition assistance programs
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Sara is very accomplished (prev worked in Obama admin on Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign)
You can read more about Sara here:
4/n https://sites.sph.harvard.edu/evergreen/people/dr-sara-bleich/
You can read more about Sara here:
4/n https://sites.sph.harvard.edu/evergreen/people/dr-sara-bleich/
I had the extreme good fortune to collaborate with Sara on schools and other projects. On schools, we wrote several op-eds together recently including this one on 3' v 6' distancing
5/n https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/12/three-feet-social-distancing-schools-coronavirus/
5/n https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/12/three-feet-social-distancing-schools-coronavirus/
And earlier in the fall she led a piece we wrote on food security - a billion missed meals in the spring alone...
6/n https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/10/28/how-politics-keeps-14-million-american-kids-getting-enough-food-column/6051427002/
6/n https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/10/28/how-politics-keeps-14-million-american-kids-getting-enough-food-column/6051427002/
Sara and I also worked on the schools issue with another Harvard colleague and friend, Ben Sommers, who is also joining the administration...
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Ben will serve as deputy asst secretary for planning and evaluation (ASPE) in the Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS). He'll lead the Office of Health Policy, working on Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, health care quality, and public health, including COVID
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Ben is super detail-oriented. One of the best I've seen at synthesizing data and looking across studies. His new role will include "ensuring policies are based on solid evidence and science." He's the guy for that!
More on Ben here:
9/n https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/benjamin-sommers/
More on Ben here:
9/n https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/benjamin-sommers/
Ben, Sara, me, and another colleague, @jessicaleecohen, wrote a few pieces this summer on schools.
The first was from the summer where we described the evidence around opening schools safely
10/n https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/20/opinion/listen-science-reopen-schools/
The first was from the summer where we described the evidence around opening schools safely
10/n https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/20/opinion/listen-science-reopen-schools/
We all co-wrote another piece in the fall, this one led by @jessicaleecohen, on how school decision-making was failing four basic principles of evidence-based policymaking.
11/n https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/10/14/us-schooling-during-covid-19-doesnt-deserve-passing-grade-heres-way-forward/
11/n https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/10/14/us-schooling-during-covid-19-doesnt-deserve-passing-grade-heres-way-forward/
Next on the list is @Gina_McCarthy, who is going to serve as the *first ever* national climate advisor.
She will head the newly formed White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy
12/n https://twitter.com/HarvardCCHANGE/status/1351980711562121221?s=20
She will head the newly formed White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy
12/n https://twitter.com/HarvardCCHANGE/status/1351980711562121221?s=20
Gina is one of a kind. As sharp and fast-thinker as they come, fully dedicated to this climate crisis for decades, and always with a lens on equity.
She's also funny as hell.
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She's also funny as hell.
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I got to know Gina a few years ago when I was part of the team working hard to recruit her to Harvard to take over our center on climate.
We were successful!
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We were successful!
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I'm proud to have helped relaunch the Center and to have served as Associate Director for Gina's first year, helping to transition the center under her leadership.
15/n https://twitter.com/j_g_allen/status/1001799388497436672?s=20
15/n https://twitter.com/j_g_allen/status/1001799388497436672?s=20
Of course, my only real contribution was coming up w the name: C-CHANGE! @HarvardCCHANGE
The center is now led my long-time colleague and friend @DrAriBernstein (thankfully the Biden/Harris admin didn't take everybody!)
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The center is now led my long-time colleague and friend @DrAriBernstein (thankfully the Biden/Harris admin didn't take everybody!)
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These are all supremely talented, smart, dedicated experts who are also just good people.
That's the reason I am filled with so much hope.
Wishing them all great success. We needed them, and they answered the call. For that, I'm grateful.
Onward!
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That's the reason I am filled with so much hope.
Wishing them all great success. We needed them, and they answered the call. For that, I'm grateful.
Onward!
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