Washington, DC, July 29, 2025 — The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the voice of the over 3,300 local health departments across the country, announces Bisola Ojikutu, MD, MPH, FIDSA, Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission as Vice President of its Board of Directors for the 2025-2026 term. Dr. Ojikutu assumed the role on July 1, 2025. Following her term as Vice President, she will become NACCHO Board President-Elect on July 1, 2026.

“I am deeply honored to serve as Vice President of NACCHO especially during this challenging time in the history of public health in our country,” said Dr. Ojikutu. “I look forward to working with the executive committee, the board, organization leadership and staff to ensure that NACCHO continues to advocate for city, county, and tribal public health. The future of local public health remains bright with NACCHO at its helm.” 

Dr. Ojikutu was appointed the Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission in July 2021. As Commissioner of Public Health, she serves on the cabinet of Mayor Michelle Wu. Among many priorities, her primary goals are to address racism as a public health crisis, improve systems of care and treatment for people living with substance use disorder, build community-empowered initiatives to address pervasive health inequities throughout Boston, and strengthen public health infrastructure with a focus on workforce development. 

Dr. Ojikutu is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and board-certified Infectious Disease Specialist who practices within the Infectious Disease Division at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She is an extensively well-published health equity researcher whose career has focused on overcoming barriers to prevention and treatment for people living with and at risk for HIV infection. Prior to joining the Boston Public Health Commission, she served as Senior Advisor at John Snow Research and Training Institute and led numerous domestic and international grants funded by HRSA, CDC, and USAID. She is a Trustee on the Board of Boston Medical Center, the largest safety net hospital in New England, a board member for the Massachusetts Public Health Association, and a member of the governing board for the American Public Health Association. Dr. Ojikutu is also an alumnus of the Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy at Harvard School of Public Health and is a Fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Dr. Bisola Ojikutu as the Board Vice President at NACCHO,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, NACCHO CEO. “Her deep expertise in public health and commitment to improving the lives of communities, from addressing health disparities to strengthening public health workforce, will bring invaluable leadership to our Board and organization.”

NACCHO’s Board is led by four executive officers:

• Damōn Chaplin, MBA, President; City of Minneapolis Health Department, MN
• Patrick McGough, DNP, MSHR, RN, CHA, President-Elect; Oklahoma City-County Health Department, OK
• Bisola Ojikutu, MD, MPH, FIDSA, Vice President; Boston Public Health Commission, MA
• Michael Kilkenny, MD, MS, Immediate Past President; Cabell-Huntington Health Department, WV

NACCHO is governed by a 22-member board comprising local and tribal health officials who are elected by their peers, as well as one ex-officio member representing partner organizations. As the governing body, NACCHO’s Board of Directors establishes the association’s strategic direction and initiatives, sets the annual legislative agenda, approves official policy statements, ensures that annual goals are met, and provides financial oversight. The Board is NACCHO’s public face and represents members in matters of policy, public health practice, and collaboration with health partners in the public and private sectors. 

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About Boston Public Health Commission

Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is the country’s oldest health department. We envision a thriving Boston where all residents live healthy and fulfilling lives. To accomplish this, BPHC works in partnership with communities to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, especially those impacted by racism and systemic inequities. Learn more about our work at boston.gov/bphc.

About NACCHO

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information about NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org.