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Date: Wednesday, Jan. 28, 1998 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343
As director for intergovernmental affairs, Simmens represents Secretary Shalala on all department issues before state and local elected officials and their national organizations. Simmens will also have oversight responsibility for HHS' 10 Regional Directors, Regional Health Administrators and their staffs.
"The work of HHS depends critically on our partnership with state and local governments," said Secretary Shalala. "Lance Simmens' experience and expertise will be of great value in making that partnership work."
Prior to coming to HHS, Simmens served as both chief of intergovernmental affairs for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and as deputy director for the Office of Sustainable Development in the Commerce Department from October 1993 to October 1997.
Between 1987 to 1993, he served as the assistant executive director for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Simmens also served as senior economic counsel to Senator James Sasser (D-TN) and the U.S. Senate Budget Committee from 1981 to 1987.
Simmens received a bachelor of science degree in political science from Georgia Southern University in 1976 and a Masters in Public Administration from Temple University in 1978. Additionally, he completed the Senior Managers in Government program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1995, and the Environmental Economics and Policy Analysis Workshop at the Harvard Institute for International Development in 1997.
A native of Abington, Pa., Simmens is married to Maia Andersen. They have two children, Christopher, 5, and Nicholas, 3, and reside in Manassas, Va.