May 15, 2025 – Dr. Kiran Joshi has been named chief operating officer of Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH). In this role, he will be the executive leader of the state-certified public health department serving approximately 2.3 million residents in suburban Cook County.
“Dr. Joshi provided steady guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic and has established himself as a public health champion for Cook County,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “I am confident in his ability to advance our efforts in dismantling systemic barriers to health and supporting the wellbeing of communities across suburban Cook County.”
Dr. Joshi has served in the interim COO role since January. During his more than 10-year tenure at CCDPH, he has led a number of programmatic areas and initiatives, including founding the agency’s Community Behavioral Health and Community Immunization units. From 2020 – 2022, he co-led CCDPH and Cook County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Dr. Joshi has dedicated his career to public health. I am grateful for his leadership at this crucial time as we navigate emerging diseases, work to improve health outcomes, and ensure access to care for the residents of Cook County,” said Dr. Erik Mikaitis, CEO, Cook County Health.
In 2021, Dr. Joshi was awarded by the Institute of Medicine Chicago for leadership in public health during the pandemic. Dr. Joshi also serves as an attending physician with the Cook County Health Department of Family Medicine and cares for patients at the health system’s North Riverside Community Health Center.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to be selected to lead Cook County Department of Public Health,” said Dr. Joshi. “This opportunity is both a privilege and a responsibility, and I am committed to working collaboratively to advance health equity, strengthen our communities, and ensure every resident has access to the care and support they need to thrive.”
Dr. Joshi is currently an assistant professor of Clinical Family Medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Prior to joining Cook County Health, he was a faculty attending physician at the Northwestern McGaw Family Medicine Residency Program. He has also worked as a consultant to the World Health Organization, where he provided technical assistance in the development of trainings for health workers in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Joshi completed medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago and trained in preventive medicine at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and family medicine at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Cook County Department of Public Health, an affiliate of Cook County Health, is a nationally accredited, state-certified local health department that enforces health regulations, monitors and responds to public health threats and promotes better health in suburban Cook County.
###