Amita Patel is the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of NIAMS' Administrative Management Brach (AMB) for components of the Director's Office and Extramural Research Office. She has over 35 years of administrative and management expertise, serving internal and external customers within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense. 

Amita joined NIAMS as the CAO in March 2015. Her responsibilities include advising leadership and staff on policy and providing recommendations and services in various administrative and management matters. She and her staff work on variety of administrative matters including oversight, accountability, and management services. 

Amita provides expertise and strategic counseling to leadership and staff in the administrations and management areas, such as human resources management, including scientific and administrative personnel recruitment; operational budget management; centralized services management; procurement activities, including small purchasing; communications (telephone) contract management; facility management; property management, including personal and information technology property management; and travel management. AMB’s internal customers include the staff of both scientific offices (e.g., medical officers, research scientists, health scientist administrators) and administrative offices (e.g., grants and contracts specialists, program and budget analysts, and information technology specialists). External to NIAMS, AMB also works with NIH's Procurement, Human Resources, Facility Management, and Property Offices, among others. 

Amita has been at the forefront of the administrations and management areas for over 35 years. Prior to coming to NIAMS, Amita served in various administrative and management areas within HHS, including the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA), the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institute of Mental Health, as well as in the Department of Defense, including overseas in Saudi Arabia.