Division of Policy and Assurances Director's Biography

 

Irene Stith-Coleman is currently Director of the Division of Policy and Assurances (DPA) in the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  As DPA Director, she directs development of policy and guidance documents, interpretations of requirements for human subject protections and dissemination of this information to the research community. She also directs OHRP’s Federalwide Assurances of Compliance and registration of institutional review boards programs.

 

Before coming to HHS in July 1999 to work as Senior Public Health Advisor to the then Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) and U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, Irene spent more than 15 years at the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress, as Analyst and Specialist in, and Head of, the Biomedical Policy (BP) Section in the CRS Science Policy Research Division.  While at CRS, she provided a wide range of support to Congress on biomedical and public health issues tailored to meet specific and general needs of Congressional Committees and Members in carrying out their legislative, oversight, and representational responsibilities.

 

Irene received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1980 from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN and performed 3 years of post-doctoral training at the National Institutes of Health in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.