CLEVELAND — Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson made several appointments to various high-level posts within the Department of Health as part of a shakeup within the division that began in 2020.
On Wednesday, Jackson swore in Dr. Karen Cooper as the medical director of the Department of Public Health and Frances Mills as the health commissioner for the Department of Public Health.
As part of the restructuring, Jackson has launched the Division of Health Equity and Social Justice in the Department of Health. Jackson’s office said that Lita Wills will be sworn in to be the division’s director later in the month.
Outside of the Department of Health, Jackson also swore in Antoinette Allen as the interim director of Building and Housing.
Jackson said he is making the appointments on an interim basis in order to give the next mayor more flexibility. Jackson has six months left in his fourth term as mayor. He is not seeking re-election in November.
“These new appointments are a continuation of the staffing changes I began in May as part of the transition to end my mayoral leadership,” Jackson said. “I have sworn in interim positions, finalized appointments, filled outstanding positions and am reassigning mayor’s office staff, including support staff, to other roles in the city.”
