RI Governor Names New Interim Director Of Department Of Health
PROVIDENCE, RI — A familiar face will lead the Rhode Island Department of Health, until a permanent replacement is found. On Thursday, Gov. Dan McKee named Dr. James McDonald as the new interim director of the department.
Dr. McDonald has been part of the state's public-facing COVID-19 response since the start, appearing alongside Director Nicole Alexander-Scott and occasionally filling in during her absences. A pediatrician by trade, McDonald gained popularity with the public for his cheerful explanations of the importance of soap, masking and other safety precautions, often accompanied by some kind of visual aid.
"I am looking forward to leading the Rhode Island Department of Health in this interim capacity as we continue the critical work of managing the COVID-19 pandemic and delivering the dozens of other vital public health services on which Rhode Islanders rely," McDonald said. "As a team, we will continue to work toward our aim of giving every Rhode Islander and every community an equal opportunity to be healthy and thrive."
The governor also named two other members of the transition team: Ana Novais, Chris Abhulime and Ernie Almonte. Novais will provide day-to-day operation support to McDonald, Almonte will provide support for finances and budgeting and Abhulime will provide operational support to the department, the governor's office said.
"Our Administration has moved quickly to put an experienced leadership team in place at the Rhode Island Department of Health to ensure that our COVID-19 response remains strong," McKee said. "I thank Dr. McDonald, Assistant Secretary Novais, Ernie Almonte, and Chris Abhulime for stepping up and I look forward to continuing to work with all of them during this transition. I also want to thank the career staff at the Department of Health who continue to do the work of ensuring access to quality health services for all Rhode Islanders."
The transition team was named following the announcement that Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott would step down after nearly seven years as director. Just a week later, Tom McCarthy announced his resignation as deputy director. The governor then appointed a panel of public health experts to find Alexander-Scott's replacement.
A brief biography of each member of the transition team is below, from the governor's office.
James McDonald, MD, MPH has served at RIDOH as a Medical Director and as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline since 2012. He has helped steer the State response to the drug overdose crisis, and he has been a key member of Rhode Island’s COVID-19 leadership team. Prior to his time at RIDOH, Dr. McDonald served as the Director of Health Services for the Naval Health Clinic New England in Newport. He earned his MD from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, he did his pediatric residency in the U.S. Navy, and he did his preventive medicine residency through the State University of New York. He earned his MPH from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Dr. McDonald is board certified in pediatrics and preventive medicine. His diverse career includes officership in the U.S. Navy. He lives in North Kingstown with his wife and three children.
Ana Novais has over 35 years of public health experience. She currently serves as Assistant Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Prior to that, she worked at RIDOH for several years as Deputy Director; Education and Outreach Coordinator focusing on children’s health issues; and as the Minority Health Coordinator, charged with assuring the Department addressed the health needs of racial and ethnic minority communities. During that time, she led efforts to achieve health equity by focusing on health disparities and access to care, chronic disease management and prevention, environmental health, and maternal and child health; and she was charged with implementing the department’s strategic priorities. Novais holds a Clinical Psychology degree from UCLN, Belgium, and is a graduate from the Northeastern Public Health Leadership Institute, University of Albany.
Ernie Almonte currently serves as Chief of Staff to Lt. Governor Sabina Matos. Prior to that, he was a business, government, and process improvement specialist with more than 40 years of experience. He has provided technical assistance on accounting and financial reporting issues to businesses, along with federal, state, and local governments. He also served for 16 years as the Rhode Island Auditor General where he was responsible for the State of Rhode Island financial, performance and fraud audits. In that role, Almonte was responsible for the $8 billion CAFR, audit of the RI Lottery financial statements and IT controls, provided due diligence on casino mergers and compliance with state agreements, insight on pensions, and audits of quasi-public agencies and municipalities. He has served in numerous positions as Chairperson of audit committees including the Department of Defense Audit Advisory Committee at the Pentagon, and as a member of the Government Auditing Standards Committee for the Comptroller General of the United States.
Chris Abhulime, DVM, MS, PMHNP-BC is Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Dan McKee. He will serve as the liaison between the advisors and the Governor’s Office. He is an accomplished clinical/biopharmaceutical scientist with over 15 years of technical, operational, and managerial experience in clinical immunology, diagnostic testing, regulated bioanalysis, quality assurance, assay validation, clinical trials, and lab automation. He is a board certified/licensed Psychiatric-Mental Nurse Practitioner and previously served as a Research Lab Manager at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He earned a Master of Science from Regis College, a Master’s degree in clinical laboratory science/medical technology from the University of Rhode Island, and a Doctor of Veterinary degree.
This article originally appeared on the Cranston Patch
