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Sylvia M. Burwell ’87 — a former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services — will serve as the next president of Harvard’s Board of Overseers, the University announced Thursday morning.
The announcement places Harvard’s second-highest governing body in the hands of an academic with deep experience in the same federal agency that is now spearheading a slew of investigations into Harvard and slashing hundreds of millions of dollars in research funding.
The Board of Overseers consists of 30 alumni who provide input on the direction of the University, meet with top administrators, and approve certain actions by the Harvard Corporation.
Monica Bharel, a physician and former Massachusetts public health commissioner, will serve as vice chair of the board’s executive committee.
Burwell and Bharel will assume office in August as Harvard navigates its most politically volatile moment in recent memory. The University is currently pursuing two lawsuits against the Trump administration — one challenging proposed restrictions on enrolling international students and another over multibillion-dollar cuts to federal funding — neither of which are expected to be resolved before the pair’s term begins. Harvard’s first lawsuit names the HHS as a defendant.
Burwell succeeds Vivian Y. Hunt ’89, the chief innovation officer of the UnitedHealth Group. Bharel replaces Tyler Jacks ’83, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In a press release, Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 praised Burwell and Bharel for their “experience overcoming complex challenges under extraordinary circumstances,” citing Burwell’s leadership at the HHS and Bharel’s “evidence-based approach” to public health crises.
Burwell said in the release that her upbringing in rural West Virginia and her time at Harvard shaped her sense of service and commitment to institutional stewardship.
“My background together with my time at Harvard has shaped my understanding of the importance of contributing to this nation and the role community plays in the health of our institutions and country,” she said.
She added that the coming year would be one of “serious consequence for higher education, our nation’s students and for Harvard” — a nod to the escalating standoff between the Trump administration and Harvard over campus antisemitism and discrimination.
A staunch advocate for diversity and inclusion, Burwell said in a 2023 interview with The Crimson that it would be one of her priorities as an Overseer. At American University, she championed what she called “inclusive excellence,” noting that 57 percent of her senior leadership were people of color.
“You can’t be excellent as an institution of higher learning without actually having inclusion,” she said.
Burwell has defended diversity initiatives in higher education, positioning herself as a vocal proponent even as such efforts have come under increasing political attack.
As Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2014 to 2017, Burwell oversaw agencies including Medicare, Medicaid, and the National Institutes of Health. She later served as president of American University, where she led the school through the Covid-19 pandemic and a historic $500 million fundraising campaign.
Bharel currently leads public health initiatives at Google, applying data to address health disparities. She served as commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health from 2015 to 2021 under former Governor Charlie Baker, overseeing the state’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and other public health crises. She has also held faculty appointments at the Harvard Medical School and the School of Public Health, from which she holds a degree.
In the press release, Bharel described her Harvard experience as “transformative,” citing the community and problem-solving methods of HSPH. She said was honored to work alongside fellow Overseers and University leaders in her new role.
Burwell and Bharel will take on their leadership roles as the Board of Overseers prepares to play a critical role in selecting Harvard’s next president. Garber is set to step down in June 2027, and a presidential search committee is expected to be formed in 2026. As in past searches, the committee — which has not yet been announced — will likely include all 12 members of the Harvard Corporation and three Overseers.
Burwell will serve as an Overseer until 2029, and Bharel will stay until 2028 — meaning both will be senior members of the board for the duration of the search.
While the committee has not yet been announced, Burwell and Bharel are widely expected to be involved — whether as formal members or in an advisory capacity.
—Staff writer Dhruv T. Patel can be reached at dhruv.patel@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @dhruvtkpatel.
