Ms. Dawn O’Connell serves as the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The ASPR is the Secretary’s principal advisor on public health emergencies, and her office leads the nation in preventing, responding to, and recovering from the adverse health effects of man-made and naturally occurring disasters. The office coordinates interagency activities between HHS, other federal agencies, and officials responsible for emergency preparedness and protection from public health emergencies. Prior to this role, Ms. O’Connell served as the Senior Counselor to Secretary Becerra for COVID-19 and was Director of the US Office for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation (CEPI), which developed vaccines to stop future epidemics. She was responsible for managing the broad spectrum of CEPI’s US and North American interests including its relationships with US and North American-based stakeholders, government entities, and industry partners. O’Connell served as a Senior Counselor to Secretary Sylvia Burwell and Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary Sebelius at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) during the Obama-Biden Administration. O’Connell received a Bachelor of Arts in literature from Vanderbilt University and a Juris Doctor from Tulane University School of Law.