Melanie Egorin

Melanie Anne Egorin is a professor of practice in public policy at the University of Virginia Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. A nationally recognized strategic and innovative health policy expert with over 25 years of experience, Egorin served from 2021-2025 as assistant secretary for legislation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she was confirmed by the Senate in a bipartisan vote. In this role, she was the principal advisor to the HHS secretary and the liaison for members of Congress and their staff across the broad range of issues handled by the department. Egorin worked closely with Congress to pass legislation that improved support services for the most vulnerable Americans, strengthened the nation’s public health preparedness, and lowered health care costs.

Prior to that role, Egorin served as a health and tax policy professional on the Committee on Ways and Means in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2012-2021, where she worked for nearly a decade to expand health care coverage and improve patient protections. Her health policy career began with her work as an analyst in the Government Accountability Office.  

Throughout her career, Egorin has been recognized for her collaborative work style, bipartisan leadership, and mentorship. She received her PhD in medical sociology at the University of California, San Francisco and her BA and MA degrees from Emory University.