By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst

March 3, 2009 – Monday’s appointment of Nancy Ann DeParle to serve as the White House lead on health care reform was particularly interesting to me.  You see, I once worked for DeParle back when she still hyphenated her name “Minn-De Parle.”

It only goes to show how small the Washington circle really can be.  I doubt DeParle remembers much about our almost two years together even though I reported directly to her. She was focused, and clearly on the fast track at Health and Human Services.

It’s no surprise she landed this post.

I recall when she came to the top spot as the administrator of the agency that runs the Medicare and Medicaid programs.  I was over the communications offices for the agency and she followed another highly-respected policy wonk, Bruce Vladeck.

There was always a distant rumor that she was eyeing the secretary post should then-Secretary Donna Schalala have made an early departure.  Of course Schalala stayed until the end of the Clinton Administration so that was never an issue.

DeParle’s landing this job is no surprise.  At age 29, she became Tennessee’s Commissioner of the Department of Human Services, one of the youngest folks to ever do so, and like others on the Obama team, she has the Clinton connections.

I remember her as a feisty and energetic colleague who juggled several balls in the air at one time.  She either liked you or she didn’t, and she sometimes had very little patience for the bureaucratic process.  It will be interesting to watch how she co-leads health care reform with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and how persuasive she’ll be with Congress.

Sebelius, a two-term Democratic governor in a Republican state will most likely be the lead on congressional outreach, but DeParle will be called upon to do some arm-twisting in the health care industry and my guess is that will be her strong suit.

I’ll have to check in with her at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue once she settles in: Long-time-no-see, Nancy Ann.