Hartford – The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has a new deputy commissioner as Jeannette DeJesús begins her appointment by Governor Dannel P. Malloy as Deputy Commissioner and Special Advisor to the Governor on Health Care Reform, a cabinet-level position.
“This is a very exciting time in public health,” stated DPH Deputy Commissioner Jeannette DeJesús. “Health care as we know it is going through major changes. I look forward to serving Governor Malloy and the people of Connecticut to ensure that our state is ready for these changes. I am committed to the implementation of health care reform to increase affordability and access for all Connecticut’s residents.”
Most recently, Commissioner DeJesús was the Vice President of the Connecticut Hospital Association, where she led advocacy efforts and helped to develop effective strategies for implementing national healthcare reform, particularly with regard to special populations. Prior to her time there, she spent eight years as the President and CEO of the Hispanic Health Council, working to improve the health and social well-being of Latinos and other diverse groups through community-based research, direct service, training, and policy advocacy.
Commissioner DeJesús previously served as the Deputy Executive Director and the Executive Vice President of the National Conference for Community and Justice. From 1995-1999, she was the program coordinator at St. Vincent’s Hospital’s rape crisis program in New York City. She has co-chaired the Sustinet Tobacco Task Force and the Commission on Health Equity, and served on the boards of Hartford Hospital, Hartford Health Care Corporation, Connecticut Voices for Children and the Public Health Foundation of Connecticut.
Commissioner DeJesús holds two graduate degrees: a Master of Social Work from New York University and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state’s leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state. To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270.
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