After the highly-publicized firing of Dr. Allison Arwady, the Chicago Department of Public Health is shifting ahead beneath interim management.

Acting Commissioner Fikirte Wagaw took over the division after Arwady’s ouster, with greater than 20 years of expertise in native public well being beneath her belt.

Wagaw obtained a grasp’s diploma in well being coverage and administration from UIC and a BA from the University of Michigan, according to the city’s website.

She additionally served as first-deputy commissioner of CDPH previous to Arwady’s firing.

According to the town, she “oversaw and coordinated cross-department functions and initiatives, guided by and in support of the department’s focus on racial and health equity.”

She additionally has labored as a neighborhood planner, epidemiologist and public well being administration with CDPH, in line with the town.

Mayor Brandon Johnson has not but stated who will lead the division completely.

Arwady, who had been with CDPH since 2015, was fired earlier this month. She had been appointed as commissioner simply earlier than the outbreak of COVID-19, spearheading efforts to battle the virus within the metropolis.

Last week, she advised NBC Chicago concerning the {qualifications} wanted for the place.

“I am more concerned about making sure that whoever leaves this health department has real public health knowledge,” she stated. “And so that is really what I am interested in that I know is what the mayor has said he has interested in. And I’m looking forward to see who who will be named. But it needs to be somebody who understands public health and the operations of how to protect the city, not just around mental health, not just around COVID around the amazing range of things that the health department gets to work on.”