University of San Francisco Honors Sheila P. Burke with Two Alumni Awards

Ms. Burke was honored during CelebrateUSF, the school's annual alumni weekend, which was held October 17 – 20.

A 1973 graduate of the University of San Francisco, where she earned her B.S. in nursing, Ms. Burke also holds an M.P.A. from Harvard University. She served for 19 years on Capitol Hill. Early in her career, she was a member of the staff of the Senate Finance Committee responsible for legislation relating to Medicare, Medicaid, and other health programs. Ms. Burke ultimately became Deputy Staff Director of the Finance Committee, then she went on to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and later as his Chief of Staff. In 1995, she was elected as Secretary of the Senate, the chief administrative officer of the United States Senate. Ms. Burke also served from 2000 to 2007 as a member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).

In addition to her government experience, Ms. Burke served as the deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum and research complex. She was also a faculty member at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where she taught a number of health policy courses and served as executive dean.

Ms. Burke is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Public Administration. She was a member of the Georgetown University Board of Visitors for the university's School of Nursing and Health Studies. Ms. Burke is a former member of the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and she has served in various capacities for the National Academy of Medicine, including as the chair of the Nominating Committee. A senior advisor to the Bipartisan Policy Center, Ms. Burke has been named one of Washingtonian's "Most Influential People in Washington" since 2022.