About
Shereef Elnahal is a physician who served as U.S. Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health in the Biden Administration, where he oversaw the Veterans Health Administration's implementation of the PACT Act and a large workforce expansion. He was previously President and CEO of University Hospital in Newark, NJ (2019–2022) and served as New Jersey's 21st Health Commissioner. He holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Experience
- Oregon Health & Science UniversityPresidentcurrent2025 — presentPortland, Oregon, United States
- Thrive CapitalExecutive Health Advisor2025Washington DC-Baltimore Area
- U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsUnder Secretary for Health2022 — 2025
- University HospitalPresident and CEO2019 — 2022Newark, New Jersey
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical SchoolClinical Associate Professor2019 — 2022Newark, New Jersey
- NJ Department of HealthCommissioner of Health2018 — 2019Trenton, New Jersey
- Georgetown UniversityAdjunct Assistant Professor2017 — 2019Washington D.C. Metro Area
- U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsAssistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Quality, Safety, and Value2016 — 2018Washington D.C. Metro Area
- U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsDirector, Diffusion of Excellence Initiative2015 — 2016Washington, District Of Columbia
- The White HouseWhite House Fellow2015 — 2016Washington D.C. Metro Area
- Johns Hopkins HospitalResident Physician in Radiation Oncology2013 — 2016Baltimore, MD
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 88th Medical GroupOperations management consultant2014 — 2015Dayton, Ohio Area
- Brigham and Women's HospitalResident Physician2012 — 2013Boston, MA
- Close ConcernsSummer Associate2011San Francisco Bay Area
- Dana Farber Cancer InstituteAide to the Chief Executive Officer2011Greater Boston Area
- The Brookings InstitutionResearch Analyst2008Washington D.C. Metro Area
Skills & more
Strategy99Biotechnology85Management33Program Management21Healthcare99Clinical Research38Research23Public Health37Medicine35Data Analysis35Business Strategy15Hospitals31
+9 more
Management ConsultingOperations ManagementCancerDiabetesGovernmentHealthcare ManagementPolicyProject ManagementMedical DevicesFrom Shereef's professional profile.
Colleagues at Obvious Ventures
Amanda Denney
Marketing Director at Obvious Ventures
Amy Abernethy
Obvious Champion at Obvious Ventures
Amy Abernethy, MD
Obvious Champion at Obvious Ventures
Andrew Beebe
Managing Director at Obvious Ventures
Aneesh Chopra
Obvious Champion at Obvious Ventures
Anico Steffen
Senior Executive Assistant at Obvious Ventures
Arek Zarowski
Senior Associate at Obvious Ventures
Brett Hurt
Obvious Champion at Obvious Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Shereef Elnahal?
- Shereef Elnahal is a physician who served as U.S. Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health in the Biden Administration, where he oversaw the Veterans Health Administration's implementation of the PACT Act and a large workforce expansion. He was previously President and CEO of University Hospital in Newark, NJ (2019–2022) and served as New Jersey's 21st Health Commissioner. He holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
- Where does Shereef Elnahal work?
- Shereef Elnahal is Obvious Champion at Obvious Ventures.
- Where did Shereef Elnahal go to school?
- Shereef Elnahal studied at Harvard Medical School (Doctor of Medicine - MD, Medicine); Harvard Business School (MBA, Operations Management); The Johns Hopkins University (Bachelor's in Biophysics, Biophysics).
Same school
Also attended Harvard Medical School143
Niko BonatsosVerdict Capital founder and pre-consensus investor formerly at General CatalystAnthony PhilippakisInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Ben RobbinsInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)David ReshefInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Krishna YeshwantInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Morgan CheathamPartner and Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Breyer Capital
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+ 137 more
Also attended Harvard Business School2,000
Brad GerstnerFounder & CEO of Altimeter CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesTim DraperFounder of Draper AssociatesMamoon HamidPartner at Kleiner PerkinsNeeraj AgrawalGeneral Partner at Battery VenturesHristo BorisovCo-founder & CEO of Payhawk
+ 1,994 more
Also attended The Johns Hopkins University261
Wes NicholsPartner at March Capital PartnersDemi ObayomiPrincipal at Sapphire VenturesJun JeonInvestor at Khosla VenturesNicole FraenkelInvestor at Khosla VenturesElena VibochManaging Director at General CatalystScott RubinVenture Partner at Lux Capital
+ 255 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Thrive Capital25
Addison MarshVP, Finance & Operations at BBG VenturesJackie KahnPartner, Marketing at Oak HC/FTAriana PoursartipVenture Partner at AtlanticoKareem ZakiPartner at Thrive CapitalJared WeinsteinPartner at Thrive CapitalAndrei KozyrevPartner at Abstract Ventures
+ 19 more
Also worked at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs22
Hubert ZajicekCEO and Co-founder of Health WildcattersDeborah Lafer ScherBoard Director & Strategic Advisor at Joyance PartnersDr. Sachin JainPresident and CEO at Team8Dhiren PatelDigital Pharma Advisor at Excelerate Health VenturesJennifer MalinAdvisor at Oncology VenturesLeo MackaySenior Vice President, Ethics and Enterprise Assurance at Lockheed Martin Ventures
+ 16 more
Also worked at The White House56
Steve CaseChairman & CEO of Revolution; co-founder of AOLNekeshia WoodsManaging Partner at Parkway Venture CapitalPhil VenablesVenture Partner at Ballistic VenturesBarr YaronPartner at Amplify PartnersEmily FritzePartner at The Westly GroupDon BaerSenior Advisor at Audere Capital
+ 50 more
Also worked at Brigham and Women's Hospital53
Nathan BlecharczykCo-founder & CSO of AirbnbAnthony PhilippakisInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Nasra MohamedInvestor at Third Rock VenturesAlexi Nazem, MDGeneral Partner at AlleyCorpDavid Rosenthal, MDVenture Partner at AlleyCorpChristiana BardonManaging Partner of MPM BioImpact, leading the firm's public market investing
+ 47 more