You probably remember the headlines from a few years back. Admiral Rachel Levine was everywhere. She was the face of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 response and then, suddenly, she was making history in D.C. as the first openly transgender person confirmed by the Senate. She was a four-star admiral. A pediatrician. A lightning rod for political debate.
Then, things got quiet.
If you’re wondering what happened to Rachel Levine, you aren't alone. In the fast-paced cycle of American politics, figures who once dominated the evening news can seemingly vanish once an administration changes or a term ends. But Levine didn't just disappear; her exit from the federal stage was as pointed and headline-grabbing as her entrance.
The End of an Era at HHS
Basically, the biggest change happened on January 20, 2025.
That was the day Levine officially resigned from her post as the 17th Assistant Secretary for Health. In the world of high-level government appointments, this is pretty standard—new presidents bring in their own teams. Levine served her full four-year term under the Biden administration, outlasting many other high-profile officials from that era.
But her departure wasn't exactly a "ride off into the sunset" moment.
By late 2025, a major controversy erupted involving the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Levine’s legacy. Reports surfaced that under the new leadership of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Levine’s official portrait—which hangs in the Hubert H. Humphrey Building in Washington—had been altered. Specifically, her nameplate was changed to reflect her deadname.
This move sparked a massive firestorm. Supporters called it "petty" and "bigotry," while the department defended it as a return to "biological reality." It was a stark reminder that even after leaving office, Levine remained a central figure in the nation's ongoing culture wars.
Where is Rachel Levine Now?
So, what is she actually doing with her time? Honestly, she’s gone back to her roots.
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After leaving Washington, Levine moved back to central Pennsylvania. Before she was a national figure, she was a titan at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. She’s currently leaning back into the academic and advocacy world. Here is a quick look at her 2026 reality:
- The Lecture Circuit: She’s been incredibly active as a speaker. In late 2025, she headlined a major colloquium at Smith College titled "The Future of Public Health in the United States."
- University Presence: She maintains her connection to the Penn State College of Medicine, where she was a professor for decades.
- National Advocacy: She hasn't stopped talking about health equity. She recently spoke at the University of Michigan, arguing that health equity isn't "woke"—it’s a fundamental necessity for a functioning society.
- Media Presence: She still shows up on networks like NPR and in publications like The Advocate to comment on current health policies, especially those affecting LGBTQ+ youth.
She’s also been vocal about the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) and its impact on the public health workforce. She recently mentioned that many of the experts she worked with have been "criticized and castigated," leading to a significant brain drain in federal health agencies.
The Legacy of the Four-Star Admiral
It’s easy to forget that Levine wasn't just a political appointee; she was the head of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
When she was sworn in as a four-star admiral in October 2021, she became the highest-ranking member of that service. She spent four years overseeing 6,000 uniformed health officers who respond to everything from hurricanes to the opioid crisis.
People often get her role mixed up with the Surgeon General. While Vivek Murthy was the "nation’s doctor" giving advice, Levine was more like the Chief Operating Officer. She was the one managing the actual machinery of public health.
During her tenure, she focused heavily on:
- Syphilis Surges: She led the national task force to combat the sudden, alarming spike in STI rates.
- Climate Change: She established the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, linking environmental shifts to public health outcomes.
- The Opioid Crisis: Building on her work in Pennsylvania, she pushed for wider access to Naloxone (Narcan) on a national scale.
Dealing With the Noise
You can’t talk about what happened to Rachel Levine without talking about the abuse.
Throughout her time in office, she was subjected to a constant stream of vitriol on social media. It was relentless. Despite this, her public persona remained almost unnervingly calm. She rarely engaged with the trolls, choosing instead to stick to data and "gold-standard science."
In her "exit interviews" in early 2025, she admitted that the political climate had become incredibly difficult for trans people, but she remained stubborn about her optimism. She told NPR that she chooses to believe things will get better, even as she watched her own legal name being scrubbed from her portrait in D.C.
What’s Next for Dr. Levine?
Dr. Levine isn't retiring in the traditional sense. At 68, she seems more interested in being a "gray eminence" for the next generation of health leaders.
She has been replaced in her federal role by Brian Christine, signaling a massive shift in the department’s priorities. While the current HHS focus has moved toward "reversing the policies enacted by Levine," she is spending her time building a parallel infrastructure in the private and academic sectors.
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If you’re looking for actionable insights from her career, it boils down to two things: persistence and data. Levine’s career trajectory—from a local pediatrician to a four-star admiral—was built on a refusal to be sidelined by controversy.
How to Follow Her Work
If you want to keep tabs on her latest initiatives or speaking engagements, look toward major public health university calendars. She is frequently a keynote speaker at schools of public health (like Michigan, Harvard, or Penn State). You can also follow the updates from the U.S. Public Health Service, as they still occasionally reference the structural changes she implemented during her four years in command.
The "disappearance" of Rachel Levine wasn't a fade into obscurity. It was a transition from being the person in the system to the person critiquing the system from the outside. Whether she returns to a formal government role in the future likely depends on the political pendulum, but for now, she’s back in Pennsylvania, writing and speaking, and very much still in the fight.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Review Health Equity Data: If you are a healthcare provider, look at the "Levine Policy" frameworks regarding non-discrimination in medical settings; many hospitals still use these as the gold standard for patient care.
- Monitor HHS Portraits: Keep an eye on the ongoing litigation or administrative challenges regarding the display of former officials' names, as this will likely set a precedent for federal records.
- Check Academic Journals: Look for upcoming publications from the Penn State College of Medicine, where Levine is expected to contribute research on adolescent medicine and eating disorders.