Winnie Pizzano, a veteran health care executive, was named acting director of the Public Affairs Office of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today by CMS Acting Administrator Dennis Smith.
"Winnie brings important experience and proven talent to a job that is an essential to the effectiveness of CMS as an agency that serves millions of Medicare, Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries," Smith said.
Pizzano has served as deputy director of the Public Affairs Office and head of the Intergovernmental and Tribal Affairs staff. Previously she served as senior policy advisor in the Office of the Administrator, working on long-term care insurance issues.
Before joining CMS, Pizzano served as manager of the Illinois state office in Washington, where she handled a variety of issues representing Illinois’ interests to the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. She also has worked for Rep. Robert H. Michel, R-Ill., Illinois Gov. Richard B. Ogilvie, and the Illinois Department of Public Health as director of Emergency Medical Services.
Pizzano was federal co-chair of the Appalacian Regional Commission, and deputy director of ACTION, the federal volunteer agency that included the Peace Corps. She also was a health care consultant for various companies in Washington, and ran a communications division for a federal contractor.
Currently, Pizzano is also on the Fairfax County, Va., Human Services Council.
She is as native of Harrisburg, Pa., and a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.