Phoenix hires city’s first public health adviser
Phoenix City Manager Jeff Barton has announced the city’s first public health adviser.
Nicole Dupuis-Witt will address public health priorities and needs across the city. She’ll work with departments that focus on heat response and mitigation, housing and homelessness, senior services and transportation.
Dupuis-Witt recently served as CEO for the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit in Ontario, Canada. She’ll begin in Phoenix on Oct. 17 and receive annual compensation of $202,188, which includes a $147,500 salary.
“While COVID-19 will continue to be an important public health priority for the near future, I look forward to working with the community on other critical public health issues and the vision toward a healthier Phoenix,” Dupuis-Witt said in a press release.
When COVID-19 hit, Phoenix hired an outside public health consultant to provide guidance and review city policies and some council members pushed for the city to hire its own adviser. In April, the City Council approved creating an adviser position with the expectation the person would:
- Provide advice and assistance to city leadership.
- Work with designated departments toward public health objectives.
- Implement approved public health programs.
- Brief city manager on matters of concern and present program proposals for approval and submission to the City Council.
- Serve as a liaison to the public health community.
- Identify public health resources and match with city needs to achieve the city’s goals and objectives in public health and improve the well-being of the community.
