The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced on March 30, 2026, that Dr. Elisabeth Armstrong has been appointed chief of staff in the NIH Office of the Director. In this role, she will oversee office operations and provide strategic counsel to the NIH Director and senior leadership.
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., praised Armstrong’s appointment, stating she brings a distinctive combination of public and private sector expertise that will contribute to advancing innovation and effective action within the agency.
Armstrong’s Career and Expertise
Before joining NIH, Dr. Armstrong served as Director of the Office of the Executive Secretariat at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) starting in 2025. There, she advised the FDA Commissioner and senior leaders on policy and agency-wide priorities, managed information flows, and led cross-agency projects. She was responsible for development of briefing materials, executive correspondence, and managing thousands of official documents including regulations and congressional reports.
Her background also spans health policy equity research and bioethics in both the private and healthcare sectors. Armstrong has worked with investment firms such as Raymond James & Associates, biotechnology teams at Eventide Asset Management and Reality Labs (Meta), and CommonSpirit Health. Additionally, she supported strategic growth and communications for the primary care provider Proactive MD.
Earlier in her career, Armstrong was an Emmy-nominated broadcast journalist, reporting for major outlets including FOX News Channel and i24 in Tel Aviv, covering regional and international news.
Educational and Professional Credentials
Dr. Armstrong holds a doctorate in bioethics and health policy from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. She earned master’s degrees in drug development and product management from the University of California San Diego and in bioethics from Columbia University. She also has dual bachelor’s degrees in political science and philosophy from Colorado Christian University, where she previously served as faculty.
She is certified as a Healthcare Ethics Consultant by the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities and has served on the advisory board for Bioethics International.
Why it matters
The appointment of Dr. Armstrong brings a comprehensive blend of regulatory, ethical, and strategic expertise to NIH’s top leadership. As the federal agency leading medical research in the U.S., NIH benefits from her experience in coordinating complex information flows and guiding policy at the FDA, enhancing its efforts to execute research initiatives and translate discoveries into health outcomes.
Background
NIH is the country’s primary federal agency for medical research, comprising 27 Institutes and Centers under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It supports investigations into both common and rare diseases and focuses on advancing basic, clinical, and translational research to improve public health.
Sources
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