Michelle Taylor named next Baltimore health commissioner

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced the appointment of Michelle Taylor as the next commissioner for the city’s health department. Taylor will begin her new role Aug. 4.

Taylor, who replaces former commissioner Ihuoma Emenuga, will be tasked with shaping the health policies and initiatives that impact city residents. She will work alongside BCHD’s team of public health providers to address health inequities and disparities, promoting wellness opportunities for Baltimore residents, Scott’s office said.

“Dr. Taylor is a world-class leader, and I’m grateful that she’s bringing her talents and experience to Baltimore,” Scott said in a statement released May 30. “She shares my commitment to expanding affordable health resources in every single neighborhood of our city.”

A native of Memphis, Taylor most recently served as the Shelby County division director for health services in Tennessee.

The HBCU graduate earned her bachelor’s from Howard University in 1997,  her medical degree from East Tennessee State University in 2002 and a doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins University in 2015.

Taylor’s oversight of BCHD will involve managing issues like the spread of controllable diseases, informing residents of chronic disease prevention and treatment, and management of animal control services. She is expected to play a crucial role in Baltimore’s response to the opioid overdose epidemic.

“I called Baltimore City home for the first two years of my graduate studies at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and today, I am delighted to announce my return home to serve the Baltimore City community and uphold the Baltimore City Health Department‘s unwavering vision for an equitable, just, and well Baltimore where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy and to thrive,” Taylor said.

“I am excited to work with the BCHD team to expand public health services for all Baltimoreans through innovative programs, policies, and partnerships, all while aligning with Mayor Scott’s goals for a healthier Baltimore.”