William Hazel
Dr. William A. Hazel Jr. is serving his second term as the Secretary of Health and Human Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He oversees 11 state agencies with more than 16,000 employees, covering programs including Medicaid, Behavioral Health, Social Services, and Aging and Rehabilitation. These agencies spend approximately one-third of Virginia's budget.
During his first term, he led the Virginia Health Reform Initiative, and helped establish both the Virginia Center for Health Innovation and Virginia's health information exchange. In his second term, Hazel has focused on working across departments to meet the needs of Virginia’s citizens. He has co-chaired the Children’s Cabinet; the Governor’s Task Force on Improving Mental Health Services and Crisis Response; and the Governor’s Task Force on Prescription Drug and Heroin Abuse.
Prior to his appointment, Hazel spent 22 years as an orthopedic surgeon, including for the Washington Redskins and D.C. United.
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Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.