Andrew D. Hyman - In Memoriam

Andrew D. Hyman, JD, served on the SIS board of directors from June 2013 until his death in February 2015. He was a champion for the poor and underserved, and devoted his considerable talents to advocating for high quality health care for all. In the words of his colleagues at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Hyman was “a warrior for a healthier, more equitable America.” SIS was fortunate to have the benefit of his brilliance, passion and leadership during his tenure on our board, and his life’s work inspires us to continue the fight for justice and equity.

Hyman was the team director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Coverage team and was responsible for developing and executing strategies designed to achieve the Foundation’s goal of securing for all Americans meaningful access to health care coverage. Having joined the Foundation in 2006 as a senior program officer in the Health Care Group, he and the Coverage team worked with policy-makers, researchers and advocates to help our nation’s leaders craft and enact policies designed to expand coverage.

Hyman came to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation after serving as director of Government Relations and Legislative Counsel for the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, which represents the public mental health systems in every state. In that role, he sought to advance policies that secure positive health outcomes and full community participation for individuals with mental disorders.

Prior to his work in the mental health field, from 1998–2001 Hyman was the deputy director and then director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), serving as Secretary Donna Shalala’s liaison to state, local, and tribal governments. His work at HHS also included efforts to combat tobacco use, implement the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and advise the Secretary on Medicaid. He began his service at HHS as the special assistant to the general counsel in 1993.

A New Jersey native, Hyman received a JD from the Fordham University School of Law, and a BA from Columbia College.