AHRQ Names Former CMS Policy Expert as Deputy Director

AHRQ Director Richard Kronick, Ph.D., has named Sharon Arnold, Ph.D., AHRQ’s new deputy director, effective June 29. In her new position, Dr. Arnold’s responsibilities include overseeing a comprehensive and coordinated scientific program supporting research, evaluations, demonstrations, training and policy analysis of health services research. Dr. Arnold came to AHRQ in April as a senior advisor on detail from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where she had a long and distinguished history. Most recently, she served as CMS’ director of the Payment Policy and Financial Management Group. In prior positions with CMS, she served as senior advisor for the Office of Legislation, director of the Demonstration and Data Analysis Group, and director of the Division of Medicare Part A Analysis. Dr. Arnold was also a senior health policy analyst with the Prospective Payment Assessment Commission, which later merged with the Physician Payment Review Commission to become the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. She also spent 6 years at AcademyHealth, first as a senior research advisor, then as vice president, where she directed the Health Care Financing and Organization Initiative and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded grant-making program. Dr. Arnold received her doctorate in public policy analysis from the Rand Graduate School in Santa Monica, California; a master’s in health services research from the University of California, Los Angeles; and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, San Diego. She has authored or coauthored more than 30 reports and publications on topics including health care payment and care management for chronic conditions. “I am thrilled to have Sharon join the AHRQ team,” Dr. Kronick said. “Her policy and management experience will be a tremendous asset to the Agency.”