RADM CLARE HELMINIAK, M.D., M.P.H.
Deputy Director for Medical Surge
Office Preparedness and Emergency Operations
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

RADM Clare Helminiak is the Deputy Director for Medical Surge in the Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations (OPEO), a component of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). She directs and coordinates medical surge through the supervision of three programs: the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS); the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP); and the Emergency Care Coordination Center (ECCC). NDMS augments the Nation’s medical response capability with specialized medical, veterinary, and mortuary team capabilities. HPP enhances the preparedness and response of hospitals and health care systems. ECCC improves the resiliency, efficiency, and capacity of daily hospital emergency medical care.

RADM Helminiak received her MD degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1982, and completed a flexible internship at Michigan State University in 1983. She received her MPH from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1998, and is Board certified in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine. From 1983-2006 she worked in the Indian Health Service as a clinician and health care administrator in New Mexico, Alaska, Montana, and Arizona. She worked from 2002-2006 on Afghan health care reconstruction both domestically and on-site in Afghanistan. After joining ASPR in 2006, RADM Helminiak was responsible for the transfer of NDMS from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to HHS. From 2007-2009 she was detailed to the Office of the Vice President as the Medical Advisor for Homeland Security Affairs.

RADM Helminiak is also the Chief Medical Officer for the United States Public Health Service, and provides leadership and coordination of medical professional affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General.