Rachel Leland Levine (born October 28, 1957) is an American pediatrician, public health expert, and government official. She served as the Assistant Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from March 2021 to January 2025, overseeing the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps as a vice admiral, promoted to four-star admiral in 2022, which made her the first openly transgender four-star officer in the United States uniformed services. Prior to her federal role, Levine was the Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 2017 to 2021, where she managed the state's response to public health crises, including the opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. Her career has focused on adolescent medicine, eating disorders, and transgender health, making her a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and inclusive healthcare policies. Levine's path to prominence began with her education at Harvard College, followed by earning her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. She completed residency training in pediatrics and adolescent medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Before entering government service, she was a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Penn State College of Medicine and served as chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine and Eating Disorders at Penn State Children's Hospital. Her appointment to the HHS position marked a historic milestone as the highest-ranking openly transgender official confirmed by the U.S. Senate, amid national debates on transgender rights and healthcare access. Levine has faced both praise for her expertise and criticism from conservative figures, including adversarial attacks from commentator Matt Walsh, over policies related to gender-affirming care for minors. Throughout her tenure, Levine emphasized equity in public health, vaccination efforts during the pandemic, and addressing mental health challenges exacerbated by social isolation. She has been recognized for her trailblazing role in breaking barriers for transgender individuals in high-level positions, though her service ended with the change in administration in 2025. Levine continues to influence discussions on healthcare policy and transgender inclusion.