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# Trump’s FDA External Affairs Chief Named
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/trumps-fda-external-affairs-chief-named/
- Published: 2017-03-20T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T22:12:31.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: FDA Policy/General, #legacy-id-D5138248

FDA acting commissioner **Stephen Ostroff** 3/20 announced the appointment of longtime Republican operative **Jack Kalavritinos** to be the agency’s new associate commissioner for external affairs, responsible for FDA communications to the media, Congress, and the general public, effective immediately. In an email to FDA senior staff, Ostroff said Kalavritinos, who is a lawyer, most recently served as a special assistant in the HHS Office of the Secretary, from the Trump transition team.

Prior to that, Ostroff’s message said, Kalavritonis had “worked in the public affairs arena for over 20 years and has developed a strong health care background both at HHS and in the private sector. He served in the administration of president **George W. Bush** as director of intergovernmental affairs at HHS. He was secretary **Mike Leavitt**’s liaison to the nation’s governors, state, local and tribal leaders. He led a team of national and regional policy experts, liaisons and public affairs staff during the roll-out of Medicare Part D. He was instrumental in organizing and implementing pandemic flu emergency preparedness summits with secretary Leavitt and governors of all states, territories and tribal leaders. He helped to support secretary Leavitt’s efforts post-Hurricane Katrina to establish rapid response efforts with Gulf state governors and other state, local and tribal leaders.

“Jack worked on medical device issues in the private sector and worked closely with that industry’s association, AdvaMed, on domestic and international policy issues.”