CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson announced Monday the appointment of Dr. Olusimbo “Simbo” Ige to serve as commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Dr. Ige is currently the Managing Director of Programs at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and has previously served as the Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

“Dr. Ige is a tremendous addition to not just our administration, but to the City of Chicago,” said Mayor Johnson. “Dr. Ige is someone who understands the balance between hard data and community interaction when assessing public health problems and solutions, and with 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.”

She has been in public health for nearly two decades.

As the Managing Director of Programs for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Dr. Ige oversaw partnerships with health organizations nationwide, according to CDPH.

“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.”

From 2020-2023, Dr. Ige served as the Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene where she managed a team of 500.

Since former Commissioner Dr. Alison Arwady was fired in August, Fikirte Wagaw has been leading the department on a temporary basis.

Dr. Ige received her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and her Master of Science in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. She received her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.