Ngozi Ezike

Ngozi Ogbunamiri Ezike, an internist and pediatrician, is the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.[1][2][3] She was appointed in January 2019.[4]

Early life and education

Ezike’s father was an emigrant from Nigeria who settled in Los Angeles. He always dreamed of her becoming a doctor.[5]

Ezike graduated with honors from Harvard College with a concentration in chemistry before earning her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego and completed her internship and residency at Rush Medical Center where. She also earned a management certificate from Harvard Business School.[1][6]

She has an honorary Doctor of Community Health degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale based on a recommendation that she “has been widely praised for her dedicated efforts as part of a leadership team within the State of Illinois to address the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the citizens of the Land of Lincoln.”[7]

Career

Ezike has provided inpatient care at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, was Medical director at the Austin Health Center in Chicago’s West Side and immediately before moving to the IDPH, Medical Director at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center,[2] the largest single site juvenile detention facility in the country. She is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Rush Medical Center.[1]

She has also been a national policy advisor on juvenile correctional health topics[8], [9] who “has presented at numerous local and national conferences for medical professionals and youth audiences alike.”[1] Ezike has also been a “federal court monitor for health-related matters concerning juvenile correctional facilities under consent decree.”[10]

Honors and awards
  • Illinois HR863 “Commends Dr. Ngozi Ezike on her continued leadership and commitment to the Department of Public Health and the State of Illinois during the COVID-19 pandemic.”[9]
  • 2020 Illinois Academy of Family Physicians (IAFP) President’s Award[10]

References
  1. "About IDPH". Illinois Department of Public Health. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  2. Haridasani Gupta, Alisha (May 27, 2020). "How Do You Lead a State's Coronavirus Response? Ask Her". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  3. "On Anniversary of Illinois' 1st COVID-19 Case, Top Doctor Makes Plea for Action". WTTW. January 24, 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  4. "Gov. Pritzker Announces Key Appointees, Including IDPH and IDVA Directors, U of I Board Members and Staff". Office of the Governor. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  5. "State Hero: Ngozi Ezike, MD". Chicago Health Online. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  6. Otumu, George Elijah (May 24, 2020). "Inspiring". Naija Standard Newspaper. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  7. "Dr. Ngozi Ezike to receive honorary SIUC degree; distinguished service awards announced". WREX. December 3, 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  8. "Ngozi Ezike". The Forum at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  9. "Illinois HR863". TrackBill. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  10. "2020 President's Awards". IAFP. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
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