Dennis R. Schrader has been nominated by Governor Larry Hogan as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health, replacing Robert R. Neall, who has retired. Previously, Schrader served as Acting Health Secretary of the Department in 2017 and as Deputy Secretary for Healthcare Financing and Chief Operating Officer from January 2018 to December, 2020. Schrader continues to manage the state’s hospital surge operations to ensure state hospitals do not exceed capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as statewide COVID-19 vaccination operations.