Alumna Appointed as Acting Secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration

Shevaun Harris (MSW, 2004; BA, 2002) was appointed in October 2020 by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as acting secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). The agency oversees the state’s $25 billion Medicaid program. She replaces Mary Mayhew, who left the agency to become CEO of the Florida Hospital Association, an advocacy group representing more than 200 hospitals in the state.

“I’m pleased to appoint Shevaun Harris in this acting role as we continue our search for a permanent AHCA Secretary,” said Governor DeSantis. “Shevaun has over a decade’s worth of experience at AHCA and has held several leadership positions within the agency.”

Harris served as AHCA’s Assistant Deputy Secretary for Medicaid Policy and Quality since February 2017. In this role, she oversees the bureaus of Medicaid Policy and Medicaid Policy, which include more than 110 employees. The position is also had responsibility for directing the comprehensive Medicaid strategic and program plans to efficiently and effectively implement AHCA goals and objectives.

Along with her decade of experience at AHCA, Harris has served as an adjunct professor at the FSU College of Social Work and as a case manager at Big Bend Cares serving vulnerable Floridians.

Recently Harris was the lead negotiator on a statewide contracting process for Medicaid managed-care plans that involved billions of dollars in contracts starting in 2017 and finalized in 2018. She also has been leading the implementation of a Canadian prescription-drug importation program approved by the Florida Legislature in 2019.

AHCA has also been taking a leading role in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida as the agency oversees and regulates state facilities, including nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

“I look forward to supporting the agency’s continued mission to achieve better health care outcomes for all Floridians,” Harris said.