Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams has become the new U.S. Surgeon General. Trent-Adams was named to the position after President Donald Trump had issues with Dr. Vivek H. Murthy’s views on gun control. An appointee of former President Barack Obama, Dr. Murthy believed that gun violence was a health crisis. Following his dismissal, Dr. Murthy’s deputy, Trent-Adams, was named to the position.
Here are five things to know about Trent-Adams.
Trent-Adams is an HBCU graduate
Raised on a farm in Concord, Virginia, Trent-Adams was inspired to become a nurse by her great-aunt who was also a nurse. Following high school, Trent-Adams attended Hampton University where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in nursing. She would later earn an M.S. and Ph.D from the University of Maryland.
Trent-Adams has nearly 25 years of experience
Following college, she served as a nurse officer for the U.S. Army and a research nurse at the Universty of Maryland Medical Center. In 1992, she began working with the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. She was named as the chief nurse officer of the USPHS in 2013 and began advising Dr. Murthy in 2016. She currently ranks as a Rear Admiral in the USPHS.
Trent-Adams is passionate about helping the poor and fighting for HIV/AIDS treatment
While serving as deputy under Dr. Murthy, Trent-Adams worked to improve the health access to people in poor communities, domestically and internationally. She also worked to improve HIV/AIDS treatment by managing the $2.3B Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009.
Trent-Adams is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Trent-Adams is also an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. She became a member in 2016 at the biennial conference in Atlanta. During the ceremony, President Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson said, “We are proud to welcome these five extraordinary women into our illustrious sisterhood. They epitomize the qualities that have enabled Alpha Kappa Alpha to thrive for 108 years. We know that they will be wonderful additions to the Sorority and look forward to their continued service to all mankind.”
Trent-Adams is a married mother of two
Trent-Adams is married to Dennis Adams. They have two daughters, Nadia and Alexia, and currently reside in Columbia, Maryland.
