Mayor Duggan taps Henry Ford Medical Group director to lead Detroit Health Department

Mayor Mike Duggan has appointed Denise Fair as the chief public health officer of the Detroit Health Department. Fair, who is currently obtaining a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance at the Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business, started her new role as the city’s health officer on September 3.

In this new role, Fair oversees all of the department’s public health programs, including the city’s efforts to decrease infant mortality, improve maternal health outcomes and reduce unintended teen pregnancies – in addition to oversight of Detroit Animal Care and Control. Building stronger partnerships with the community and with area health systems will also be a focus.

Prior to joining the Detroit Health Department, she was the Group Practice Director at Henry Ford Health System and had oversight for three outpatient medical centers in metro Detroit.

“Denise Fair is a stellar health care professional and is uniquely positioned to positively shape and build upon the Detroit Health Department, Mayor Duggan said. “Her leadership and collaboration efforts to stabilize operations throughout primary care and urgent clinics demonstrate that she’ll ensure Detroiters receive quality public health services.”

Fair is board certified in healthcare management as a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

 “It is a great honor and privilege to take on this new role as chief public health officer and lead the Detroit Health Department in Mayor Duggan’s administration,” said Denise Fair. “I see first-hand how our programs and services improve the quality of life for our most vulnerable residents – from our SisterFriends initiative to reduce infant mortality to creating a lead-safe Detroit – my team and I are committed to ensuring Detroiters receive world-class public health services.”

A native of Ypsilanti, Michigan, Fair received her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Michigan and a Master of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Public Health.

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