[2] She worked as a senior staffer in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as a White House policy advisor during the presidency of Barack Obama.

In 2009, Palm was appointed deputy assistant United States Secretary of Health and Human Services for Legislation by President Barack Obama.

[5][6][7] In January 2019, Governor-elect Tony Evers nominated Palm to serve as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Palm's updated stay-at-home order was struck down in a ruling by the conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court, effectively reopening several businesses in the state against warnings by public health officials.

[11][12][13] On January 18, 2021, it was announced that Palm would be nominated to serve as United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services in the incoming Biden administration.

Utech later served as Deputy Assistant to Barack Obama for Energy and Climate Change before becoming a lecturer at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.