Biography of RADM W. CRAIG VANDERWAGEN, M.D.

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

RADM W. Craig Vanderwagen, M.D., was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn into office as the first Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response on March 23, 2007. In July 2006, RADM Vanderwagen was appointed HHS Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral, Upper Half, U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). He is the Secretary's principal advisor on matters related to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. The mission of his office is to lead the nation in preventing, responding to and reducing the adverse health effects of public health emergencies and disasters.

RADM Vanderwagen has significant public health emergency and disaster response experience. Most recently, he was the Deputy Secretary's Special Assistant for Preparedness and led the teams who implemented changes at HHS recommended in the White House Report, Katrina Lessons Learned. In addition RADM Vanderwagen was the senior federal health official in the response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Louisiana; led the public health team deployed on USNS Mercy to Indonesia to assist in the 2005 tsunami recovery; served as the Chief of Public Health for the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Ministry of Health in Iraq; and directed a portion of health care provided to Kosovar refugees during the 1999 Balkans conflict.

His federal career began with the Indian Health Service Albuquerque Area Office as a USPHS General Medical Officer at the Zuni Indian Hospital. RADM Vanderwagen also served as the IHS Office of Clinical and Preventive Services Director. He was responsible for the full scope of clinical health care programs, including quality assurance and preventive programs for 49 IHS hospitals, hundreds of clinics and health stations.

In support of the Surgeon General, RADM Vanderwagen served as the USPHS Chief Professional Officer for the Medical Category of the Commissioned Officers Corps. He provided guidance and advice on matters such as recruitment, assignment, deployment, retention and career development for more than 1,300 USPHS physicians.

RADM Vanderwagen is a board-certified family physician. He is published in several medical journals covering family practice, including, Medical Education, Children Today, and Hospital and Community Psychiatry.

RADM Vanderwagen and his wife Suzanne have three grown sons.