After leaving HHS , Lurie became senior natural scientist and the Paul O'Neill Alcoa Professor of Health Policy at the Arlington , Virginia-based Rand Corporation , a think tank . Lurie directed the organization 's Center for Population Health and Health Disparities and oversaw its work on public health and preparedness . Lurie testified before the Subcommittee on Bioterrorism and Public Health Preparedness of the Senate Committee on Health , Education , Labor and Pensions in March 2006 , explaining that " her work included evaluating public health preparedness in California and Georgia ; conducting 32 tabletop exercises on hypothetical crises caused by smallpox , anthrax , botulism , plague , and pandemic influenza ; and interviewing officials from 44 communities in 17 states . " In July 2009 , Lurie returned to HHS as Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services . In that position , Lurie oversaw the federal public health response to various health crises , including Hurricane Sandy and the Boston Marathon bombing . Lurie is also a rear admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service . Lurie was also appointed to oversee the federal response to the Flint water crisis
Boston Marathon bombing
Boston Marathon bombing
Nicole Lurie