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Jean McKay is the Director of NCCAM's Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, where she oversees policy, planning, evaluation, and reporting functions for NCCAM's scientific initiatives and programs; preparation of congressional testimony and responses to congressional inquiries; and implementation of the Freedom of Information Act.

Ms. McKay's 24-year career at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spans both intramural and extramural research programs. She came to the NIH, in 1983, as a medical technologist in an intramural research laboratory in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and performed basic and clinical research on oxidative metabolism in neutrophils. In 1987, she joined the NIAID extramural Division of AIDS (DAIDS), where she oversaw clinical trials sites, established a flow cytometry quality control program, and, finally, was a senior program analyst in the DAIDS Office of the Director, responsible for planning and reporting activities. Ms. McKay has served as the Executive Secretary of the DHHS AIDS Drug Development Task Force, the staff analyst for the National Human Genome Research Institute's Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications Working Group and as the Institute's planning and evaluation officer, and a senior program analyst for the National Cancer Institute's Office of Science Policy.

Prior to joining NCCAM, Ms. McKay was the Director of the Office of Program Planning, Operations, and Scientific Information, in the NIAID extramural Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation, where she oversaw the Division's programmatic and scientific planning activities, and internal operations.

Ms. McKay's awards and commendations include the Health and Human Services Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service, the NIH Director's Merit Award, and the FDA Commissioner's Special Citation.

Ms. McKay holds a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science and biology, from VPI and State University; and a Master of Library Science degree, from the University of Maryland.