Biography of Vincent J. Ventimiglia, Jr.

Assistant Secretary for Legislation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Vince Ventimiglia was sworn in on January 3, 2006, as Assistant Secretary for Legislation for the Department of Health and Human Services. In this position he advises the Secretary on all legislative matters affecting the Department and serves as liaison to Congress on behalf of the Department.

Vince joined the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee in July 2001 to serve as Health Policy Director of the Chairman´s Health Policy Team and work on the full range of issues involving U.S. and global health care systems, including medical technology, health insurance, FDA regulation, intellectual property, public health systems, liability, food and consumer products, and bioterrorism preparedness. In 2005, he moved with Chairman Gregg to serve as Policy Director for the Senate Budget Committee, where he also worked on entitlement programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and welfare.

From 1998 to 2001, Vince served as Director of the Government Affairs Office for Medtronic, Inc., the world´s leading medical technology company. He secured that office´s position as the industry leader in health care policy, achieving significant federal and state policy reforms of Medicare reimbursement, FDA regulatory policy, tort liability, international trade, and related issues.

Before joining Medtronic, Vince held a variety of health policy positions on Capitol Hill, serving as Counsel to the United States Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee for Senator Dan Coats of Indiana. As Counsel, he played an integral role in the development and passage of legislation to reform the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Vince also worked extensively on legislation involving health insurance, managed care, and health research. He previously worked with the committee on health issues from 1985 to 1988.

Other public policy experience included service as a staff attorney for the U.S. Sentencing Commission from 1990 to 1994 and the directorship of the Capitol Hill Housing Improvement Partnership from 1988 to 1990.

Vince graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and holds a juris doctorate from the Georgetown University Law Center. He is married and has five children.