Associate Administrator for Health Systems Bureau
Health Resources and Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Biography
In March 2013, Ms. Cheryl R. Dammons was appointed Associate Administrator of the Health Systems Bureau (HSB) at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She joined HSB as the Deputy Associate Administrator in April 2012.
As the Associate Administrator, Ms. Dammons leads unique programs that strengthen the infrastructure of healthcare services through: organ and blood stem cell donation and transplantation; vaccine and countermeasure injury compensation; Hill Burton’s free or low cost healthcare; community based outreach to increase COVID-19 vaccination; and, patient care, research and education on behalf of patients with Hansen’s disease (leprosy). Collectively, these programs represent nearly $449 million in federal funding.
Ms. Dammons served as the Deputy Associate Administrator of HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) from January 2010 through April 2012. As BPHC’s deputy, she co-managed a $2 billion budget that supported the healthcare safety-net for vulnerable populations across the country. Funds supported more than 8,000 community health centers and clinical sites, migrant health centers, healthcare for the homeless centers, and public housing primary care centers. Located in communities nationwide, these sites provide comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary health care to more than 19.5 million people.
Ms. Dammons joined BPHC in 2006 as the Executive Officer where she managed administrative operations. Ms. Dammons also served in various other capacities across HRSA prior to joining BPHC. Specifically, she served as HRSA’s Executive Secretariat and Privacy Officer; the Deputy Associate Administrator for HRSA's Office of Performance Review (OPR) – now HRSA’s IEA. Prior to joining HRSA, Ms. Dammons served in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Office of Communications. During her tenure at CMS, she developed media campaigns (television, print, and radio) to promote the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicare’s preventive medicine coverage for mammograms, influenza, and pneumonia immunizations.
Before joining the federal government in 1998, Ms. Dammons worked in the private sector with management consultant companies on HHS programs such as community-based, culturally specific substance abuse prevention programs and influenza prevention programs for Medicare beneficiaries. While in the private sector, she served as a training coordinator, Director for both the Maryland State and the Baltimore City Flu Prevention Coalitions, and as a community health coordinator.
Ms. Dammons earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in modern languages and linguistics with a minor in international affairs and her Master’s Degree in intercultural communication and Spanish from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.