News & Events

Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel spoke to the Global Health Fellows last week about his career path and the array of health issues facing the Commonwealth.

Mr. Littel, who was appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin '85, shared with students what consumes his time and attention, offering a sense of the typical "day in the life" for him. In his role as secretary, he oversees 12 different agencies that provide services to individuals with disabilities, low-income families, the aging community, children, and caregivers.

He also spoke about some specific issues that he has been focusing on, including mental health services and substance use disorders, particularly related to the crisis of opioid use.

Mr. Littel came into the role of Secretary with more than 30 years of experience in public policy. He served as president of Magellan of Virginia and chief external affairs officer for Magellan Health, a managed care company with more than 9,000 employees. 

Prior to joining Magellan, he served as Executive Vice President for External Affairs at Amerigroup Corporation, until that company was acquired by Anthem. While there, he launched the National Advisory Board for People with Disabilities. He then served as an Interim Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for Anthem.

He has served at the federal and state government levels, including as the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia and as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy. He serves as chair of the Virginia Health Care Foundation and on the board of The Gloucester Institute, a leadership initiative for young African-Americans.

Mr. Littel is member of the Bulldog family, as the parent of three NA graduates, Katherine '13, Carter '15, and Clay '18.