Steven Posnack, MS, MHS

Steven Posnack serves as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (and Principal Deputy National Coordinator for Health Information Technology). In this role, he advises the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (and National Coordinator for Health IT), leads the execution of ASTP’s mission and represents its interests at a national and international level. In conjunction with the Assistant Secretary, Steve oversees ASTP’s federal policy coordination, regulatory development, public-private initiatives, and the HHS-wide functions led by HHS’ Chief Technology Officer, Chief Data Officer, and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.

Over his nearly 20-year career with ASTP, Steve has led and created initiatives in a variety of technology and policy positions, including serving as the Deputy National Coordinator for Health IT, Executive Director of the Office of Technology, Director of the Office of Standards and Technology, Director of the Federal Policy Division, and Senior Policy Analyst.  

During his tenure, Steve has led the development and implementation of key initiatives enabled by the HITECH Act (2009) and 21st Century Cures Act (2016). This includes the creation of the US Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) and the USCDI+ program, the formulation and administration of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan, and the publication and establishment of the Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA) and Standards Version Advancement Process. He has also played critical role in ASTP’s policy initiatives, including the establishment and implementation of its regulatory provisions, which span standards adoption, the administration of the Health IT Certification Program, the information blocking regulations, and TEFCA processes. Steve’s leadership of ASTP’s standards and technology investments include the launch of the Leading Edge Acceleration Projects (LEAP) cooperative agreement program, the redesign of ONC’s Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL), the establishment of the Interoperability Proving Ground, and development of the C-CDA Scorecard, Inferno, and Lantern testing tools. Earlier in his career, Steve played a lead role in HHS’ establishment of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs (“meaningful use”). He also led a cross-HHS policy team that worked with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as it developed its first regulation to permit electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) and co-authored the Nationwide Privacy and Security Framework for Electronic Exchange of Individually Identifiable Health Information. 

Mr. Posnack earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a master’s degree in security informatics from Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute, and a master’s degree in health policy from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. He also maintains a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certificate.