Admiral Rachel Levine — whose official portrait at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was recently changed due to a politically motivated move by the current administration — is one of the most prominent public health officials in recent U.S. history and the highest-ranking openly transgender federal official.
NPR was the first to report on the change.
Levine’s portrait hangs in the seventh-floor hallway of the Humphrey Building, where there are photos of past US leaders. The corps in charge of the public health service will appear. Levine, who served as deputy health secretary from 2021 to 2025, is the first openly transgender four-star officer in any U.S. uniformed service.
A digital image obtained by NPR shows that the name tag under her photo was recently modified to reflect her former name. The change occurred during the federal shutdown.
Her removal of the legal name “Rachel” from the portrait nameplate, replaced by her dead name, drew criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates, bringing renewed attention to her career, achievements and historic role in government.
Admiral Rachel Levine’s Spokesman Calls Move ‘Act of Bigotry’
HHS leadership advocated the change as part of its “biological reality” approach. Through her spokesperson, Levine described it as a “petty” act rooted in bigotry.
“During the federal shutdown, current leadership in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health changed Admiral Levine’s photo to remove her current legal name and use her former name,” Adrian Shanker, former deputy assistant secretary for health policy in the Biden administration and now Levine’s spokesman, told NPR. He condemned the action, calling it “an act of bigotry against her”.
Levine declined to directly address the change when asked by NPR. “It has been an honor to serve the American people as Assistant Secretary of Health and I will not comment on these types of petty actions,” she said.
HHS defends naming Levine’s portrait
On why the adjustment was made, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon reportedly defended the department’s position in a statement to NPR. “Our priority is to ensure that information presented internally and externally to HHS reflects gold standard science. We remain committed to reversing the harmful policies enacted by Levin and ensuring that biological reality guides our approach to public health,” he said.
Profile: Admiral Rachel Levine
Admiral Rachel Leland Levine, MD, is one of the most influential public health figures of the past decade—a physician, academic, former Pennsylvania Secretary of Health, and the first openly transgender federal official.
She made history again in 2021 as the first openly transgender four-star admiral in any of the nation’s eight uniformed services.
Born on October 28, 1957 and raised in Wakefield, Massachusetts, Levine has built a decades-long career at the intersection of pediatrics, adolescent medicine, public health, and LGBTQ+ advocacy.
Early life and education
Raised in a family of lawyers, Levine attended Hebrew school and graduated from Belmont Hill School.
She then earned the titles of:
– Tulane University School of Medicine
– Completed a medical residency in pediatrics and an internship in the field of adolescent medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
In 1993, Levine moved to Pennsylvania to join the Penn State College of Medicine, where she established:
-Department of Adolescent Medicine
-Penn State Hershey Eating Disorders Program
Her work as a clinician and educator quickly gained national recognition.
The Rise of Public Health Leadership in Pennsylvania
– general practitioner (2015–2017)
– Appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf, Levine became Pennsylvania’s physician general in 2015.
Her most awarded actions:
-Signing an order allowing police to carry naloxone is helping reverse opioid overdoses and saving countless lives.
– Minister of Health (2017–2021)
– Confirmed unanimously by the Pennsylvania Senate, Levine has led the state through complex health issues, including:
– Pandemic response to COVID-19
-Prevention of HIV/AIDS
-Vaccination and Vaccination Policy
– Opioid crisis interventions
-Initiatives in the field of mental health and adolescent care
Her handling of COVID-19 has drawn both national attention and criticism, particularly over nursing home policy — scrutiny that resurfaced during her federal confirmation.
Historic federal role
– US Deputy Secretary of Health (2021–2025)
-Nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed 52–48, Levine became the first openly transgender official to hold the position confirmed by the Senate.
-As Assistant Secretary of Health Levine:
-Co-chaired the HHS Health Disparities Council
-Worked to expand access to vaccines in underserved communities
-Strengthening anti-discrimination protection under the Affordable Care Act
– Addresses mental health, youth wellbeing and LGBTQ+ inequalities
Four Star Admiral (2021)
On October 19, 2021, Levine was appointed a four-star admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Corps—the first transgender person and first woman in the service to do so.
Her role included leading more than 6,000 officers in national public health missions.
advocacy
Levine is a strong national advocate:
– Equality in access to health care
– Protection of civil rights
-Fair treatment of transgender Americans
She has criticized state-level laws that limit LGBTQ+ rights, calling them discriminatory and harmful to young people.
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