Dr. Olusimbo Ige named Commissioner to the Chicago Department of Public Health

Mayor Johnson has appointed esteemed public health leader Dr. Olusimbo "Simbo" Ige, MD, MS, MPH, to serve as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). Ige’s appointment comes three months after Johnson removed former CDPH commissioner Allison Arwady.

“Dr. Ige is a tremendous addition to not just our administration, but to the City of Chicago,” said Mayor Johnson in a statement. “(W)ith decades of experience in public health, she brings a clear-eyed understanding of both the challenges and the opportunities that CDPH and our city face, and how we will collectively overcome them.”

Dr. Ige has worked in the public health sector for nearly two decades. As the Managing Director of Programs for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Ige oversaw partnerships with health organizations nationwide working to foster accountability and equity within public health systems.

Ige previously worked as the Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, managing the city’s pandemic response, food security programs, housing and health initiatives, mental health programs, violence prevention, and the Public Health Corps initiative. 

“It is a distinct honor to serve the city of Chicago in this role,” said Dr. Ige. “Through collaboration with the Johnson Administration and with community members in Chicago, I am confident that we can improve the health outcomes for all Chicagoans. I have spent my entire career in the public health field, and I look forward to bringing all that I have learned to CDPH.”