RADM Kerry Paige Nesseler, M.S., R.N.
Director, Office of International Health Affairs
Director, Office of Commissioned Corps Affairs
Health Resources and Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Kerry Paige Nesseler was appointed director of the Office of International Health Affairs and the Office of Commissioned Corps Affairs in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in May 2006.

HRSA works to fill in the health care gaps for people who live outside the economic and medical mainstream. The agency uses its $7 billion annual budget (FY 2007) to expand access to quality health care for all Americans through an array of grants to state and local governments, health care providers and health professions training programs.

As director of the Office of International Health Affairs, Nesseler develops strategies to maximize HRSA's participation in efforts to improve health care for vulnerable populations worldwide; she also coordinates and advances international health policy and resource development within HRSA. Additionally, Nesseler serves as a consultant to the HHS Office of the Secretary's Global Health Affairs, other HHS agencies, the World Health Organization and other international groups on a variety of health issues and nursing issues, including global HIV/AIDS, health professions training and Pacific Basin health care needs.

As director of the Office of Commissioned Corps Affairs, Nesseler implements the HHS vision for the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and leads HRSA's 494 Commissioned Corps officers in that effort. Activities include ensuring basic level of readiness for all officers, coordinating deployments, overseeing pandemic influenza planning, and career development.

Nesseler served as associate administrator for HRSA's Bureau of Health Professions from July 2002 until her current appointment. She was deputy associate administrator for programs for HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau from 2000 to 2002, and was a senior nurse consultant at MCHB from 1993-2000. From 1992-1993, Nesseler was a nurse epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and first worked with HRSA from 1990-1992 as a senior project officer/nurse consultant in the Bureau of Primary Health Care.

Nesseler received a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of San Francisco and a master of science in nursing from the University of Hawaii. She holds the rank of Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

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