Jason Weida
{{Short description|American lawyer and government official}}
{{Infobox office holder
| name = Jason Weida
| image = Jason Weida.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2023
| office = Chief of Staff to the Governor of Florida
| governor = Ron DeSantis
| term_start = February 17, 2025
| term_end =
| predecessor = James Uthmeier
| successor =
| office1 = Secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
| term_start1 = January 2023
| term_end1 = February 2025
| governor1 = Ron DeSantis
| predecessor1 = Simone Marstiller
| successor1 = Shevaun Harris
| party = Republican
| education = Gettysburg College
University of Connecticut
}}
Jason Weida is an American attorney and govenment official who is the chief of staff to Florida governor Ron DeSantis since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration from 2023 to 2025.
Education
Weida earned a B.A. from Gettysburg College, magna cum laude, and a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law, with honors.{{Cite web |date=May 1, 2020 |title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Individuals to Key Administration Posts |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-appoint-individuals-key-administration-posts-37/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=The White House}}{{PD-notice}} He clerked on the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island for William E. Smith, and on the Rhode Island Supreme Court for Paul Suttell. Weida later clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit for Jeffrey R. Howard.
Career
Weida was a lawyer at Jones Day and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. As a litigation associate, he maintained a docket of pro bono cases and oversaw investigations in healthcare and other sectors.
Weida served as counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Legal Policy before becoming an assistant U.S. attorney in Boston in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Stracqualursi |first=Veronica |date=2020-05-02 |title=Trump names his pick for HHS inspector general after criticizing acting official over coronavirus report |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/02/politics/hhs-inspector-general-trump-nominee-jason-weida/index.html |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=February 4, 2025 |title=Gov. DeSantis names top state health care official Jason Weida as new chief of staff |url=https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/local/state/2025/02/04/florida-gov-desantis-taps-jason-weida-as-new-chief-of-staff/78223061007/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Gainesville Sun |language=en-US}} In these roles, he coordinated with law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
In May 2020, U.S. president Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Weida to serve as the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). His announcement came after Trump criticized acting inspector general Christi Grimm over a report on hospital shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Weida joined Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), where he worked in Medicaid policy before being appointed chief of staff.{{Cite web |last=DeLisa |first=Caden |date=2023-04-13 |title=Jason Weida confirmed as AHCA Secretary |url=https://thecapitolist.com/jason-weida-confirmed-as-ahca-secretary/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=The Capitolist |language=en-US}} In January 2023, he was named interim secretary of AHCA, replacing Simone Marstiller, who stepped down ahead of Florida's lobbying ban.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-05 |title=ACHA's chief of staff Jason Weida takes over as agency's interim secretary |url=https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2023-01-05/achas-chief-of-staff-jason-weida-takes-over-as-agencys-interim-secretary |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Health News Florida |language=en}} As AHCA secretary, Weida prioritized improving maternal health outcomes, expanding childhood and teenage mental health programs, and increasing home and community-based services. He also oversaw the process of awarding multi-billion-dollar contracts for Medicaid managed-care providers, which occurs every six years. In April 2023, he was confirmed as the permanent AHCA secretary.
In 2025, Florida governor Ron DeSantis named Weida as his chief of staff, replacing James Uthmeier, who became the state's Attorney General.{{cite news |date=February 17, 2025 |title=Who is James Uthmeier? Gov. DeSantis appoints new Florida attorney general |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/james-uthmeier-florida-attorney-general/ |work=CBS News |access-date=February 27, 2025 }} He was succeeded as secretary by Florida Department of Children and Families secretary Shevaun Harris.{{Cite tweet |user=GovRonDeSantis |number=1894463626288754897 |title=I’m pleased to announce that I am appointing Secretary Shevaun Harris, who has been leading the Florida Department of Children and Families, to become the new Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration.}}
References
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Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Gettysburg College alumni
Category:University of Connecticut School of Law alumni
Category:Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom people
Category:United States Department of Justice officials
Category:Assistant United States attorneys
Category:First Trump administration personnel
Category:21st-century Florida politicians
Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:Chiefs of staff to the governor of Florida