Dr. Leana Wen

City of Baltimore

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake appointed Dr. Leana Wen as the city’s health commissioner in January 2015. What followed was a year of surprises for the emergency medical practitioner and 2007 Rhodes scholar, bad and good.

In the wake of April’s unforeseen levels of violent civil unrest, the Baltimore City Health Department had to play a significant, yet behind-the-scenes role in the response. “Hundreds of our seniors and the vulnerable population did not have access to treatment,” said Wen of lingering post-riot problems that included damage to pharmacies, stores and other businesses. “We needed to put into effect medication action plans and a structure to get people to treatment.” The urgency of such an effort only underscored issues of disparity and need in the city.

“I see public health as being tied to every issue in this city, from education to crime to employment to addiction,” Wen noted. Major ongoing programs of the department under Wen includd treatment of addiction and mental illness, youth health and wellness campaigns, violence prevention and prevention of chronic diseases.

Wen said she was pleasantly surprised in the aftermath of the riots by the high level of commitment from the city’s academic community, neighborhood groups, government and beyond.

“We’re trying to channel our energy and break down silos,” she said. “Our goal is to reduce disparity and protect our most vulnerable. … With the national spotlight on Baltimore now, this is our time to focus on these long-standing issues.”