U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), Director
On January 3, 2012, Dr. Don Wright became the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health and Director of ODPHP. In this capacity, he leads the coordination and policy development for public health and prevention activities within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ODPHP is responsible for Healthy People 2020, a comprehensive set of ten-year national health objectives and a framework for public health priorities and actions. He also provides leadership for Dietary Guidelines for Americans, an evidence-based nutrition information system based on expert review of current science.
Prior to joining ODPHP, Dr. Wright served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Healthcare Quality and Acting Director of the Office of Research Integrity. From 2007 to 2009, he was the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. During this time, he also served as the alternate U.S. delegate to the World Health Organization Executive Board. Prior to joining HHS, Dr. Wright was Director of the Office of Occupational Medicine for the U.S. Department of Labor.
Dr. Wright received his undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University, a medical degree from the University of Texas, and an M.P.H. from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed his family medicine residency training at Baylor College of Medicine and is board-certified in both Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the American Academy of Family Physicians.