Politics & Government

Allegheny County Selects New Health Department Director

Dr. Karen A. Hacker has been selected as the new Allegheny County Department of Health Director.  

Although formal action by the board of health will still need to be taken, Hacker will assume the position in September of this year.

“We have many challenges before us as we work to improve air quality and infant mortality stats, and reduce obesity and violence in our community. I am positive that Dr. Hacker is the right person to meet those challenges,” said Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

Hacker, a native of Illinois, is the current senior medical director for public and community health for the Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, MA. She is also the chief medical officer for the Cambridge Public Health Department, executive director of the Institute for Community Health and an associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School. 

A graduate of Northwestern University School of Medicine, Hacker also earned an MPH from Boston University School of Medical Health.

The eight-member search committee for the next health department director was co-chaired by Dr. Edie Shapira, a member of the board of health, and Grant Oliphant, CEO of the Pittsburgh Foundation. Also serving on the committee were board members Dr. Lee Harrison, Dr. Don Burke and Dr. Joylette Portlock, as well as community members Dr. Loren Roth, Peg McCormick Barron and Marc Cherna.

The work of the committee was supported through funding from the Heinz Endowments.

“We set an extremely high bar for this search, because when it comes to public health, the residents of Allegheny County deserve the very best,” said Oliphant. “We set out to find someone with impeccable medical credentials, a strong appreciation for environment health and a practical understanding of how to create a state-of-the-art health department.”

Originally a candidate for the position, Dr. Ronald Voorhees was serving as acting director and withdrew from consideration earlier this year, but intends to remain a staff member of the Allegheny County Health Department moving forward.

In March 2012, Fitzgerald fired the former director of the health department Dr. Bruce Dixon. Dixon had been the director since 1992. He died in February at the age of 74.

“First, I need to truly understand the department and the issues facing Allegheny County, including its challenges and assets and I intend to learn about the community and its constituents as part of that process,” said Hacker. 

Hacker will be paid $195,000 a year, accoring to the Post-Gazette.


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