Dr. Karen DeSalvo is a physician whose 20-year career has focused on improving access to affordable, high quality care for all people, especially vulnerable populations. She has pursued this goal through direct patient care, medical education, policy and administrative roles and as a researcher. As the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, she is leading the nation’s charge to promote, adopt, and meaningfully use health information technology in order to achieve better care, lower costs and improve overall health nationally. Prior to joining the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, she was Health Commissioner for the City of New Orleans, and New Orleans Mayor Mitchell Landrieu’s Senior Health Policy Advisor. While there she transformed the outmoded health department into a modern and effective one, and restored healthcare to devastated areas of the city, including leading establishment of a public hospital. Dr. DeSalvo also served as a professor of medicine and vice dean for community affairs and health policy at Tulane University School of Medicine. Trained in internal medicine and public health, following Hurricane Katrina she was a leader in building an innovative and award-winning model of neighborhood-based primary care and mental health services for low-income, uninsured and other vulnerable individuals linked by a sophisticated health IT infrastructure. Dr. DeSalvo earned her Medical Doctorate and Master’s.