Leadership

LaMar Hasbrouck, MD, MPH, MBA
Chief Operating Officer, Cook County Department of Public Health
Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck is the Chief Operating Officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health, a subsidiary of Cook County Health. He previously served as the Executive Director for the National Association of County and City Health Officials which represents the nation’s 3,000 local health departments. Prior to that, Dr. Hasbrouck was the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Additionally, he served as a Senior Advisor for Strategy at the American Medical Association (AMA), charged with growing relationships with health care systems, community health centers, payers, and other public/private entities to eliminate gaps in chronic disease prevention across all populations. He also hosted their international podcast, AMA Doc Talk.
Dr. Hasbrouck has been on the frontline of disease outbreaks, including swine flu, MERS, Ebola, and Zika virus, in the US and abroad. He spent twelve years as a senior medical officer and “disease detective” at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) where he was actively engaged in two of the largest global health initiatives in history: the World Health Organization’s polio eradication program and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. During the COVID-19 pandemic Dr. Hasbrouck advised Fortune 500 companies on virus mitigation and safe re-opening strategies. He was a frequent contributor, columnist, and medical expert for several national media outlets. His latest book, COVID Bytes: Naked Musings of a Disease Detective (February 2022), demystifies modern-day public health approaches to pandemics.
Dr. Hasbrouck earned his bachelor and Master of Public Health degrees from the University of California-Berkeley and his doctoral degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He completed his internal medicine residency at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He received a certificate in State Health Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School and earned his MBA from the University of Saint Mary. He is a diplomat with the American Board of Internal Medicine, a primary care health policy fellow with the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), and former member of the Advisory Committee to the CDC Director, Health Disparities Subcommittee. He has served on the faculty at schools of medicine and public health and is the recipient of numerous awards for his governmental and non-governmental work.

Dr. Rachel Rubin, MD, MPH, FACP
Senior Medical Officer
Dr. Rachel Rubin is board certified in Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine. She moved into her Senior Medical Officer position with the Cook County Health Department in 2014 and held the role of Co-Lead of the Department from 2020-2022.
Her main areas of responsibility include oversight of the Communicable Diseases Unit, Environmental Health Services Unit and the Tuberculosis medical services and well as leading the Quality Improvement Program of the agency. She also has been serving as the agency’s incident commander for the COVID-19 response.
She is adjunct faculty at the University of Illinois, School of Public Health and has served as the Program Director of service grants from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the Department of Labor. She is part of the core faculty of the Preventive Medicine residency program at Cook County Health.

Dr. Kiran Joshi, MD, MPH
Senior Medical Officer
Dr. Kiran Joshi oversees CCDPH’s Behavioral Health, Emergency Preparedness and Epidemiology Units. He is also an Attending Physician with the Department of Family Medicine at Stroger Hospital.
Since joining CCDPH, Dr. Joshi has been responsible for overseeing the development of WePlan 2020, the community health assessment and improvement plan for suburban Cook County, advancing health equity as an agency and community health priority, and developing the agency’s response to the opioid overdose epidemic. He co-led the agency’s response to COVID-19 from 2020-2022.
Dr. Joshi is also currently an Assistant Professor of Clinical Family Medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He is part of the core faculty of the Preventive Medicine residency program at Cook County Health.

Gina Massuda-Barnett, MPH
Deputy Director, Public Health Programs
Gina Massuda Barnett is the Deputy Director of Public Health Programs at the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH). In her current position, Gina oversees the community health planning process for CCDPH’s jurisdiction and supports a team of leaders responsible for chronic disease prevention and control, community engagement, lead poisoning prevention and healthy homes, and worker health and safety. She further strategically manages all COVID-19-related grants to ensure alignment with the agency’s strategic direction and priorities.
Gina is known for galvanizing the power of collaboration and leveraging resources to advance positive change. Most of her 20+ year career in public health has been with CCDPH where she has led and facilitated region-wide organizational and community change initiatives promoting healthy living and equity. Gina has been recognized for her leadership in public health and has authored, or participated, in several publications.

Denise Gilbert, MSN, RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Denise Gilbert is Chief Nursing Officer of Cook County Department of Public Health. Ms. Gilbert began her career with Cook County Health in 2003 as Divisional Nursing Director of Fantus Health Center. She later had oversight of the West Cluster clinics that comprised seven ambulatory health care facilities.
Her most recent position as Manager of the Ambulatory Maternal Child Health clinics in Stroger Hospital included the Pediatric Specialty, Prenatal, Gynecology and Family Planning clinics, along with the Antenatal Testing Unit. Prior to joining CCH, Ms. Gilbert held various leadership roles including Director of Operations for multiple ambulatory facilities within the Advocate Health Care system.
Ms. Gilbert earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago and her MSN with an emphasis in Nursing Education from Herzing University, Wisconsin graduating Summa cum Laude.
Learn More About Cook County Department of Public Health
Mission
To optimize health and achieve health equity for all people and communities of Cook County through our leadership and collaborations, focusing on health promotion and prevention, while advocating for and assuring the natural environmental and social conditions necessary to advance physical, mental and social well-being.
Vision
The Cook County Department of Public Health envisions a healthy Cook County where all people and communities thrive in safe, health-promoting conditions.
Agency Planning Documents
- 2018 Strategic Plan
- WePlan 2020 Improving Community Health & Health Equity for Suburban Cook County (2016)
Advisory Council
Learn more about our Community Health Advisory Council, upcoming and previous meetings, and membership.
Communicable Disease Prevention and Control
The Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Unit (CD) works to prevent and control the spread of communicable diseases within SCC. This responsibility is achieved through collaboration with those involved in the identification, diagnosis, treatment, and legal, ethical and social management of communicable diseases.
Community Epidemiology and Health Planning
The Community Epidemiology and Health Planning Unit (CEHP) Unit addresses health problems, disparities and trends by assembling, analyzing and disseminating data and information about the health of SCC. CEHP fosters coordination between CCDPH and other agencies in the region involved in community health planning efforts.
Emergency Preparedness and Response
The Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit (EPRU) coordinates public health preparedness efforts in partnership with various disciplines and local, county, state, and federal agencies to effectively plan for, respond to, and recover from events impacting the health of SCC residents and the safety of our employees.
Environmental Health Services
The Environmental Health Services Unit (EHS) is the regulatory arm of CCDPH and is empowered to enforce Cook County and Illinois state laws relating to environmental health issues within SCC. Environmental health inspectors regularly inspect, monitor, regulate, educate and advise the public on environmental health concerns that adversely impact human health.
Integrated Health Support Services
The Integrated Health Support Services Unit (IHSS) provides public health services to individuals and families. These services include: breast and cervical cancer referral, follow-up and case management; vision and hearing screening; public health nursing; Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program; and Tuberculosis (TB) Prevention and Control.
Communications
The Policy Development and Communication Unit (PDCU) researches and analyzes public health policies, advocates for the adoption of science-based public health laws, rules and regulations and provides accurate and timely communications to SCC.
Prevention Services
The Prevention Services Unit (PSU) works in partnership with the community to build and sustain healthy environments. This unit is comprised of three departments – Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Lead Poisoning Prevention, Violence Prevention – all involved in promoting and supporting healthy, active lifestyles in SCC communities, homes, schools, and workplaces. PSU is focused on preventing illness, injuries and deaths associated with such topics as chronic diseases, lead poisoning and violence.
Public health 1
We work to prevent the spread of about 70 reportable communicable diseases and enforce Cook County and Illinois public health laws, rules and regulations.
Forward Thinking
We gather and analyze communicable and chronic disease data and provide information about the priority health needs of our communities.
Problem Solvers
We plan for and address emerging health threats, and promote healthy living through public health services, education and community development.

Problem Solvers
We are an affiliate of Cook County Health. For more information about Cook County Health and Hospital Systems, please click here.
Updated August 28, 2023, 5:08 PM