CMS Leadership

Teresa Niño joined the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in May of 2009 when she was appointed by the Obama Administration to be the Director of the Office of External Affairs and Beneficiary Services (OEABS). In that capacity, she guided 280 employees and managed a $550M budget to successfully achieve the strategic communication objectives that promote the vital health care for more than 90 million Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

In April of 2011, Ms. Niño was selected to lead the newly created Office of Public Engagement within CMS. In this current role, she oversees the Medicare Ombudsman's Group, Tribal Affairs, Emergency Preparedness and Response, and the Partner Relations Group. The function of the office, as the name implies, is to engage the American public in CMS programs and services such as Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid Expansion, and the Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance Program.

Ms. Niño has over 20 years' experience in the field of Communications and began her career in journalism in 1986 in Chicago as a TV Reporter. She was soon tapped, in 1989, to assist the local mayoral campaign that resulted in the election of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. Ms. Niño served as Mayor Daley's Assistant Press Secretary for the City of Chicago and was also Deputy Campaign Manager for the Mayor's re-election campaign.

She first moved to Washington, DC in 1993 to serve as Secretary Donna E. Shalala's Director of Outreach for HHS in the Clinton Administration. While working at HHS, Ms. Niño worked on Faith-Based Initiatives, the Interagency Committee on Persian Gulf Mystery Illnesses, the Environmental Justice Committee, the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, and the White House Executive Order on Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's).

In 1996, Ms. Niño moved from Washington, DC to San Antonio and was researcher for the book, The Americano Dream, by Lionel Sosa. The following year, she joined the Greater Kelly Development Authority (KellyUSA/Port Authority), a former military base converted to an international business park, where she became the Director of Marketing and Business Development and was responsible for International Marketing, Media Relations, Community Relations, Advertising, and the agency's website.

In 2004, Ms. Niño worked for the San Antonio Express-News, first as Director of Community Relations where she oversaw the company's philanthropic giving; and later as Director of Marketing. In 2008, and prior to returning to DC and the federal government, she worked for the National Trauma Institute in San Antonio, Texas, a national non-profit organization, where she served as the Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs.

Deputy Director: Charlotte Newman