FRAMINGHAM — Mayor Yvonne Spicer has tapped a veteran public well being administrator to supervise the town’s Well being Division.
Monifa Charles has been chosen to succeed former Well being Director Sam Wong. Charles has labored in public well being for the previous 18 years, most not too long ago for the North Carolina Division of Well being and Human Service Workplace in Raleigh, the place she recognized modern fashions of care and collaboration in underserved areas.
The Metropolis Council and its Appointments Subcommittee is predicted to evaluate and vote on Charles’ appointment within the coming weeks. Spicer is hopeful Charles’ first day on the job will likely be June 21.
Wong took a depart of absence on Jan. 1 and formally resigned Feb. 26.
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Previous to her present place, Charles was director of rural well being initiatives in Jacksonville, Florida. She led behavioral well being providers and statewide initiatives for wholesome households. She additionally labored as neighborhood liaison for the U.S. Division of Schooling and Human Providers for 12 years, the place she developed, designed and introduced workshops and coaching on neighborhood well being, baby abuse and prevention, infectious ailments and catastrophe preparedness.
Charles was a highschool trainer earlier than working in municipal authorities.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Charles to the town of Framingham’s Public Well being Division,” Spicer mentioned in an announcement. “Her breadth and depth of range of expertise makes her a standout candidate. She brings a improbable mixture of public well being information and folks administration, and I’m wanting ahead to her becoming a member of and main the town’s top-notch well being division.”
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Charles holds a doctorate of well being science from Nova Southeastern College in Davie, Florida, and a grasp of science in pharmacy from the College of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. She additionally holds a grasp’s in public administration and a bachelor of science diploma in well being service administration from the College of Central Florida in Orlando.
“It’s with nice pleasure that I be a part of the town of Framingham’s strong public well being group,” Charles mentioned in an announcement. “As I search to work carefully with all, particularly in at the moment’s difficult public well being local weather, I search to guide the group with multi-faceted public well being approaches based mostly on interventions, preventative well being fashions, efficient collaborations, and partnership with various communities. I hope to extend entry and deal with the a number of determinants that have an effect on our total well being towards a complete health-related high quality of life for all inside the metropolis of Framingham.”
Charles is a member of the American Public Well being Affiliation, Nationwide Affiliation for Healthcare High quality, Nationwide Group of State Places of work of Rural Well being, Nationwide Rural Well being Clinics, North Carolina Workgroups: Historic Marginalized Inhabitants Well being Care and COVID Prevention.
The town obtained 11 resumes in response to its posting for a new well being director. The choice committee included Spicer; Human Sources Division Director Dolores Hamilton; Chief Range, Fairness and Inclusion Officer Maritsa Barros; and Board of Well being members Gillian Carcia, David Moore and Laura Housman.
Jeff Malachowski may be reached at 508-490-7466 or jmalachowski@wickedlocal.com. Observe him on Twitter @JmalachowskiMW.
