The Trump administration has appointed health technology entrepreneur Alicia Jackson as director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.
Jackson, who had a previous stint at the Department of Defense, will lead an agency tasked with accelerating research and development of cutting-edge health projects, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. She founded and most recently served as CEO of Evernow, a telehealth firm specializing in women’s healthcare, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Learn more about tech advances at federal health agencies at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Healthcare Summit on Dec. 4. Secure your seat now for this highly anticipated GovCon event featuring industry discussions and networking sessions.
Jackson was also co-founder and chief technology officer of Drawbridge Health, which offers home-based blood-sampling devices. She additionally served as chief technology adviser at women’s healthcare company Oova and board member of ImmuneBridge, a company focused on cancer therapies.
What Did Jackson Do at DARPA?
Before working in the private sector, Jackson served for over one year as deputy director of the biotechnology office at DOD’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. She previously held for more than three years the role of program manager for the agency’s $200 million portfolio of projects—that she established—in synthetic biology and unconventional electronic devices.
Jackson holds a PhD on materials science and engineering, nanotechnology, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
She was sworn in as ARPA-H chief Monday, replacing Jason Roos, who was named acting director after the agency’s former head, Renee Wegrzyn, was removed in February following the U.S. government’s transition to the second Trump administration, according to The Well News.
The Senate on Thursday confirmed Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach as the 24th chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, Breaking Defense reported. Wilsbach will succeed Gen. David Allvin, who announced plans to retire in August. Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink welcomed Wilsbach’s confirmation on X, saying, “With his vast experience in the Pacific and as a commander at all levels, he is the right leader for the [U.S. Air Force].” President Donald Trump nominated Wilsbach for the role in September. His nomination was announced despite his prior plans to retire after nearly 40 years of active duty service.
President Donald Trump has directed the Department of Defense to “immediately” begin testing of nuclear weapons, a move the U.S. has not taken since 1992, Reuters reported Thursday. Announcing the decision from South Korea, Trump cited growing global nuclear programs and emphasized that the U.S. has the largest nuclear arsenal, calling Russia second and China a distant third. “Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately,” the president said in his post on Truth Social. Which Companies Are Likely to
State, local, tribal and territorial governments can now apply for federal funding to acquire counter-drone technologies under the Department of Homeland Security’s Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program. Federal and local coordination against emerging aerial threats will take center stage at the 2025 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12. Leaders from DHS, CISA and law enforcement agencies will examine how new technologies, funding programs and public-private collaboration are strengthening national resilience. Register now to join homeland security experts shaping the future of counter-drone innovation and public safety strategy. How Can Agencies Apply? Applications must be submitted through the FEMA Grants Outcomes
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