Social Security Commissioners


The Social Security Administration (SSA) came into being on July 16, 1946. Prior to this time, the Social Security program was administered by a three-person Social Security Board. The Board was abolished in a government reorganization and replaced by the SSA, with a single Commissioner as its head.
   
 Commissioner

Term of Service

  From To
Arthur J. Altmeyer July 16, 1946 April 10, 1953
William L. Mitchell (Acting) April 11, 1953 November 23, 1953
John W. Tramburg November 24, 1953 July 31, 1954
Charles I. Schottland August 23, 1954 December 31, 1958
William L. Mitchell February 4, 1959 April 3, 1962
Robert M. Ball April 17, 1962 March 17, 1973
Arthur E. Hess (Acting) March 18, 1973 October 24, 1973
James B. Cardwell October 25, 1973 December 12, 1977
Don I. Wortman (Acting) December 13, 1977 October 4, 1978
Stanford G. Ross October 5, 1978 December 31, 1979
Herbert R. Doggette (Acting) January 1, 1980 January 2, 1980
William J. Driver January 3, 1980 January 19, 1981
Herbert R. Doggette (Acting) January 20, 1981 May 5, 1981
John A. Svahn May 6, 1981 September 12, 1983
Martha A. McSteen (Acting) September 14, 1983 June 25, 1986
Dorcas R. Hardy June 26, 1986 July 31, 1989
Gwendolyn S. King August 1, 1989 September 30, 1992
Louis D. Enoff (Acting) October 1, 1992 July 18, 1993
Lawrence H. Thompson (Acting) July 19, 1993 October 7, 1993
Shirley S. Chater October 8, 1993 February 28, 1997
John J. Callahan (Acting) March 1, 1997 September 28, 1997
Kenneth S. Apfel September 29, 1997 January 20, 2001
William Halter (Acting) January 21, 2001 March 28, 2001
Larry G. Massanari (Acting) March 29, 2001 November 9, 2001
Jo Anne B. Barnhart November 9, 2001 January 19, 2007
Linda S. McMahon (Acting) January 20, 2007 February 11, 2007
Michael J. Astrue February 12, 2007 February 13, 2013
Carolyn W. Colvin (Acting) February 14, 2013 January 20, 2017
Nancy A. Berryhill (Acting) January 21, 2017 June 17, 2019
Andrew M. Saul June 17, 2019 July 9, 2021
Kilolo Kijakazi (Acting) July 9, 2021 December 20, 2023
Martin O’Malley December 20, 2023 Present

Photos and brief bios of the Social Security Commissioners are available elsewhere on our site.