Karen Remley

Dr. Karen Remley is Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Health. She is the principal public health advisor to the Governor, Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Virginia General Assembly and the state Board of Health. She supervises an agency with an annual budget of $535 million and over 4,000 employees, providing public health services through 119 health departments and across 41 separate service areas. Previously, she was Vice President of Medical Affairs at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Medical Director for External Quality at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Virginia, Chief Executive Officer of Physicians for Peace, Chief Medical Officer for Operation Smile and had practiced as a pediatric emergency physician for over twenty five years. Dr. Remley received her M.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, holds an MBA from Duke University and is boarded in Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Sustainable international medical education programs and developing appropriate metrics in these programs are areas of personal interest.