Government of the District of Columbia
Executive Office of the Mayor
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 19, 2007 |
Contact: Dena Iverson 202.727.6914 |
FENTY: NEW LEADERSHIP DIRECTION AT DC HEALTH AGENCY
Sr. Deputy Director Named to Run Department during Intensive Search
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty today announced that Dr. Carlos Cano has been named interim director of the D.C. Department of Health (DOH) as the administration turns its attention to a more aggressive public health strategy. Cano will lead a team of experts including Dr. Shannon Hader, who was recently named to spearhead the HIV/AIDS Administration, and Tori Whitney who runs the Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration (APRA), while a national search is conducted to lead one of the city’s most important departments.
“Public health is a critical priority for my administration, and we look forward to finding the right leadership to take an aggressive and innovative approach to addressing health issues facing the District of Columbia,” said Mayor Fenty. “Dr. Cano has been a great asset to the department, and I look forward to working with him and his team to continue serving the vital needs of our residents.”
Prior to today’s announcement, Dr. Carlos Cano served as senior deputy director for DOH’s Community Health Administration. Since joining the agency in October 2005, he has worked to implement evidence-based public health programs and encourage public participation to improve the health of District residents. The Community Health Administration includes over 200 employees responsible for overseeing more than 50 federally and locally funded programs. Among other public health goals, these programs seek to improve birth outcomes, ensure a nutrition floor for mothers and children, prevent childhood lead poisoning, help reduce the teen-age pregnancy rate, and increase access and quality of care for school-age children.
A native of Argentina, Dr. Cano came to the United States in 1985 to train as a psychiatrist and family therapist. He has served with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in various analytic capacities prior to joining DOH. As a medical advisor with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, he focused on the review and synthesis of scientific evidence to support health care policy development. Carlos lives in the District of Columbia with his wife and two children who attend D.C. Public Schools.
The DC Department of Health is responsible for identifying health risks, providing health education resources to the public, preventing and controlling diseases, injuries and exposure to environmental hazards, promoting effective community collaborations, and optimizing equitable access to community resources.
Dr. Cano will replace Dr. Gregg Pane who served as DOH director since October 2004.