Health Secretary RFK Jr. fires two senior HHS aides, appoints Matt Buckham as acting chief to advance reform agenda.

RFK Jr. Shakes Up HHS Leadership Team

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has initiated a sweeping shakeup of his department’s leadership, dismissing two of his highest-ranking aides as he pushes forward with new reforms. The abrupt departures of Chief of Staff Heather Flick Melanson and Deputy Chief of Staff of Policy Hannah Anderson mark a significant pivot as the department advances Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.

Their biographies were removed from the HHS leadership webpage this week, signaling their immediate departure. An HHS spokesperson confirmed the changes, stating, “Secretary Kennedy has made a leadership change within the Immediate Office of the Secretary. Effective immediately, Matt Buckham will serve as Acting Chief of Staff.”

Buckham, who previously served as Kennedy’s White House liaison at HHS, is recognized for his experience in personnel strategy and organizational management. According to the department, he has played a key role in recruiting and onboarding political appointees across the agency. “He brings valuable experience in personnel strategy and organizational management to this new role,” the spokesperson added.

Advancing ‘Make America Healthy Again’

The leadership overhaul is part of Kennedy’s broader mission to transform the department and implement his “Make America Healthy Again” vision. The spokesperson thanked the outgoing leadership for their service and emphasized that Kennedy looks forward to working closely with Buckham as HHS moves ahead with its priorities.

Heather Flick Melanson’s career has spanned several top positions at HHS, including acting general counsel and acting secretary for administration. She also previously served as a senior adviser to former HHS Secretary Alex Azar during the first Trump administration. Before her tenure at HHS, Melanson was an attorney at Dhillon Law Group, a law firm led by Harmeet Dhillon—who was recently appointed by President Trump as assistant attorney general.

Melanson’s credentials and connections have drawn praise from prominent figures. Former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn posted on X in support of her earlier appointment, calling her “outstanding” and forecasting that she would “most definitely help soon to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”

The department has not released additional details about the reasons behind the dismissals. However, the abrupt nature of the changes suggests a decisive move by Kennedy to install trusted allies and drive his reform agenda. The appointments and dismissals reflect the intense scrutiny and rapid shifts underway at HHS as new leadership seeks to reshape federal health policy and operations.

As Kennedy’s tenure progresses, further changes in senior staff and policy direction may be expected. For now, the focus remains on building a leadership team aligned with the secretary’s ambitions to improve health outcomes and streamline agency operations across the country.