Former health secretary to join UPMC in leadership role

PITTSBURGH — Former Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam is joining UPMC as VP of government affairs, succeeding Scott Baker, who had been in the role for a decade.

Beam became acting health secretary in 2021, taking over the Pennsylvania Department of Health and leadership of the state’s Covid-19 vaccination effort. She’s also been deputy chief of staff for Gov. Tom Wolf and chief of staff of Pennsylvania’s Department of Insurance and before joining government, had been director of public policy at Independence Blue Cross.

Baker will remain as an adviser through the end of the year.