Office of Human Capital

Ms. Tia N. Butler was appointed as the Chief Human Capital Officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in April 2020. In this role, Ms. Butler is responsible for the recruitment, development and retention of CMS’ most valuable resources, its people, who operate daily in achieving the CMS objective: to improve the nation’s health and quality of life.

Prior to joining CMS, Ms. Butler served as the Deputy Associate Director for Retirement Services (DC) at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. There, Ms. Butler was responsible for directing the adjudication of specialty retirement claims, administering the annual health benefits Open Season for annuitants, developing retirement policy and legislation, and leading programs to educate benefits officers government-wide about retirement.

Ms. Butler was initially appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES) as the Executive Director of the Corporate Senior Executive Management Office at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). She served as the principal executive advisor to the VA Chief of Staff and Assistant Secretary, Human Resources & Administration regarding enterprise executive management and was appointed by the VA to the White House Advisory Group on SES Reform.

Ms. Butler began her career in public service with the Department of the Navy (DON) as the Communications Director for Civilian Human Resources. She then served as the Staff Director to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Civilian Human Resources and later, the Director of the Executive Management Program Office (EMPO). In EMPO, Ms. Butler focused her efforts on executive succession planning, expanding leadership and executive development opportunities, and initiating the Bridging the Gap Leadership Development Program as the DON’s first centralized pipeline development program.

Ms. Butler has also worked as a Human Capital and Management Consultant in both the management consulting and public relations/advertising fields.

Ms. Butler holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Virginia and a MA in Education and Human Development, with a concentration in Human & Organizational Learning from the George Washington University.

Mrs. Stephanie M. Vaughn Bovell was appointed as the Deputy Director, Office of Human Capital in September 2021. Prior to returning to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Stephanie served as the Deputy Associate Commissioner for the Office of Customer Services at the Social Security Administration (SSA). There, she was responsible for directing and implementing process improvements for the National Processing Centers which are responsible for the adjudication of Title II and Title XVI claims totaling over one trillion dollars in benefits paid annually. 

Stephanie was initially appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES) as the Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Policy at SSA, where she provided oversight for the Vocational Rehabilitation Modernization regulation. She also served as the Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Financial Policy, where she was instrumental in implementing the cost sharing agreement between SSA and CMS which was directed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  

Stephanie began her career in public service with the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (formerly HCFA)) as a Nurse Consultant in the Office of Health Plan Operations where her focus was on the Medicare Advantage Part C Program, the Medicare Deeming Program as well as the Special Needs Plan program. Prior to being accepted into the SSA SES Candidate Development Program, she served as the Deputy Group Director in the Talent Acquisition Group, Office of Operations Management. 

Mrs. Bovell has an extensive background in healthcare management and operations in both the private and clinical settings.

Mrs. Bovell holds a BS in Nursing and a MS in Healthcare Administration from the University of Maryland, College Park, and holds an active Multi State Nursing License in Maryland and Washington. She is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and is a Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government. 

• Administers CMS’s special hiring authorities, diversity hiring initiatives, Delegated Examining authority and internal Merit Promotion program, and recruitment and retention programs, including negotiating base salary and any appropriate special hiring incentives.
• Collects, analyzes and coordinates strategic planning data for use by CMS for recruitment purposes. Uses data to focus recruitment efforts.
• Provides leadership for the development and implementation of CMS Leadership and Management Development Programs. Coordinates management development activities with the Leadership Development and Recognition Board.
• Manages and oversees CMS learning management systems and coordinates with DHHS on department-wide courses.
• Administers plans, develops, directs, coordinates and evaluates Agency-wide management programs, performance management, delegations of authority, and position management. Ensures program operations are compliant with federal regulations and Departmental requirements and guidance, and develops and implements guidance and educational tools to support successful administration of these programs.
• Provides oversight of collective bargaining agreements and provision of advisory services to CMS managers. Conducts negotiations on behalf of management and/or advises management on the conduct of labor-management negotiations. Coordinates and develops CMS-wide policy regarding the development, implementation, and evaluation of labor relations' activities.
• Provides managers and senior Agency officials (in accordance with Federal Service Labor-Management Relations statue(s), and Master Labor Agreement) with advice and assistance on activities associated with labor management relations, including but not limited to bargaining unit status determinations, unfair labor practices, negotiability issues, workplace changes affecting bargaining unit employees, and case work associated with labor relations activities (e.g., grievances).
• Develops and coordinates the policies and procedures necessary to implement the CMS Ethics Program. Provides advice and guidance to the CMS Deputy Ethics Counselor (DEC) concerning all issues that must be considered by the DEC.