A life-long resident of Chicago and a 15-year veteran of the Chicago Department of Public Health, Dr. Julie Morita was most recently chief medical officer, serving as a key adviser and liaison on all medical matters for the City.

The city council April 15 approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s appointment of Dr. Julie Morita as commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. A life-long resident of Chicago and a 15-year veteran of CDPH, Dr. Morita was most recently chief medical officer, serving as a key adviser and liaison on all medical matters for the City.

“Dr. Morita has dedicated her career to improving the lives, health and safety of Chicago residents,” said Mayor Emanuel. “As CDPH Commissioner, Dr. Morita will continue this great work, making sure every resident has the resources, knowledge and opportunity to get and stay healthy.”

For 12 years, Dr. Morita served as medical director of CDPH’s Immunization Program, where she fostered groundbreaking partnerships with health systems and the private sector and secured several competitive grant awards for the City. Dr. Morita helped launch the citywide influenza vaccination program, Vaccinate Chicago Week, which proved so successful it grew to Vaccinate Illinois Week in 2013. As chief medical officer, Dr. Morita oversaw a broad range of CDPH programs including food protection, environmental permitting, immunization and communicable disease. In this role, she has also led the City’s preparedness planning efforts related to the Ebola virus, including the launch of the Chicago Ebola Resource Network.

“Dr. Morita is the right choice for the health of Chicago residents,” said Ald. George Cardenas (12^th). “Her dedication to public service and public health is inspiring and as Chairman of City Council’s Health Committee, I look forward to working closely with Dr. Morita to make Chicago a healthier city.”

Born and raised in Chicago, Dr. Morita is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine and a board certified pediatrician.

Dr. Morita has been CDPH’s acting commissioner since January of this year. Her appointment as Commissioner was effective immediately, following today’s vote.

“I am honored Mayor Emanuel and the City Council have given me this opportunity. As a Chicago native, nothing could be more rewarding than the opportunity to give back to the city that has provided me with so much,” said Dr. Morita.

Since agreeing to serve as the Acting Commissioner, Dr. Morita has been leading the development of Healthy Chicago 2.0, which will serve as the city’s public health agenda for the next four years and will be released in August. Healthy Chicago 2.0 continues the efforts of the Mayor’s Healthy Chicago initiative announced in 2011. Dr. Morita’s vision is for Healthy Chicago 2.0 to serve as the framework for achieving even greater health equity – assuring that all Chicagoans have the opportunity to live a healthy life. Healthy Chicago 2.0 has been data and community driven. Community conversations on concerns, priorities and strategies to improve the health of residents in Chicago, especially the underserved, are happening this week. Dr. Morita plans to work with partners throughout the city so that health will be considered in all policies to create a healthier Chicago.