David C. Mills, Sr., has been named director of government relations at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

He comes to UTHSC with more than three decades of work as a lobbyist and strategic communicator. His experience includes networking with legislators, political candidates, business leaders, and government officials at the international, national, state, and local levels.

In addition, Mills will work to advance university initiatives identified by the administration as priorities. Top on the list, Mills said, is the university's effort to combat the statewide addiction epidemic, with its Center for Addiction Science, as well as a proposal to establish a network of addiction medicine fellows trained at UTHSC to be the front line in treating, diagnosing, and preventing substance abuse across Tennessee.

Most recently, Mills held the position of senior director of government relations for the Iowa Health Information Network. He also has served as senior director of Delaware Valley government relations for Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, and held several positions at Vanderbilt University,.

Mills has been administrative assistant for the Speaker Pro-Tempore of the Tennessee General Assembly, Title III director at Fisk University, state director PROJECT VOTE, and a research analyst in the Office of Minority Affairs for the General Assembly.