South Carolina healthcare leader Kelly Willenberg appointed to advisory committee to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
March 2, 2026
South Carolina healthcare leader Kelly Willenberg has been appointed to the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS), a prestigious federal advisory body that provides guidance to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). She will serve under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as part of the Office of Policy at the National Center for Health Statistics.
Willenberg’s appointment brings South Carolina representation to an 18-member statutory committee that delivers independent, evidence-based recommendations on national health data, privacy, interoperability, and health information policy. The Committee’s work helps shape how healthcare is measured, regulated, financed, and delivered across the United States.
Administratively supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NCVHS operates independently and advises directly to HHS leadership. Its recommendations frequently inform federal policy development, rulemaking, and long-term strategic initiatives across agencies including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
“I look forward to working alongside fellow Committee members, HHS leadership, and stakeholders to deliver thoughtful, practical recommendations that strengthen our nation’s health data infrastructure and improve outcomes for patients, providers, and communities,” said Willenberg. “I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me and honored to serve at a national level.”
NCVHS plays a critical role at a time when healthcare data modernization, privacy protection, and interoperability are central to improving care quality, public health readiness, and system efficiency nationwide.
Willenberg has long been active in healthcare policy and industry initiatives, making her appointment a point of pride for South Carolina.
