Carmen Hooker Odom
Encyclopedia
Carmen Hooker Odom is the former secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
. Governor Mike Easley
appointed her Secretary in January 2001. Odom, a former Massachusetts
legislator and health care lobbyist, has spent her professional life working in health and human services. As a lawmaker, she was the primary legislative author of both the 1991 Massachusetts comprehensive health reform legislation and the Children's Medical Security Plan, which targeted young children not covered by medical insurance.
In May 2007, Odom announced that she would resign as Secretary to become president of the Milbank Memorial Fund. http://www.newsobserver.com/100/story/570728.html
Prior to her appointment as head of the large state bureaucracy, she served as Vice President of Government Relations for Quintiles
Transnational Corporation in Research Triangle Park
. Odom served as the Group Vice President for Carolinas Healthcare System
(CHS). She is also an Adjunct Professor at the UNC
School of Public Health. She received a bachelor's degree in sociology and political science from Springfield College
and a master's degree in regional planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
.
Odom moved to North Carolina in 1995 when her husband, Michael Hooker, became chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
. After his death, she married former state senator Fountain Odom.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is a large government agency in the U.S. state of North Carolina, somewhat analogous to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. DHHS has more than 19,000 employees...
. Governor Mike Easley
Mike Easley
Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...
appointed her Secretary in January 2001. Odom, a former Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
legislator and health care lobbyist, has spent her professional life working in health and human services. As a lawmaker, she was the primary legislative author of both the 1991 Massachusetts comprehensive health reform legislation and the Children's Medical Security Plan, which targeted young children not covered by medical insurance.
In May 2007, Odom announced that she would resign as Secretary to become president of the Milbank Memorial Fund. http://www.newsobserver.com/100/story/570728.html
Prior to her appointment as head of the large state bureaucracy, she served as Vice President of Government Relations for Quintiles
Quintiles
Quintiles Transnational is a pharmaceutical services company offering clinical, commercial, consulting and capital services. The Quintiles network consists of more than 20,000 employees in 60 countries....
Transnational Corporation in Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park
The Research Triangle Park is a research park in the United States. It is located near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina...
. Odom served as the Group Vice President for Carolinas Healthcare System
Carolinas Healthcare System
Carolinas HealthCare System is a hospital network located throughout North and South Carolina. About 90% of the hospitals affiliated with the system are located within a 75 mile radius of Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina...
(CHS). She is also an Adjunct Professor at the UNC
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
School of Public Health. She received a bachelor's degree in sociology and political science from Springfield College
Springfield College
Springfield College is a private, coeducational university located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield College is most famous as the site where the sport of basketball was invented...
and a master's degree in regional planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
.
Odom moved to North Carolina in 1995 when her husband, Michael Hooker, became chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. After his death, she married former state senator Fountain Odom.