Dr. Debra Bogen, head of the Allegheny County Health Department, has been nominated as Pennsylvania’s secretary of health.
Governor-elect Josh Shapiro made the announcement this morning.
Dr. Bogen has held her county position since early 2020, coming in at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
County Executive Rich Fitzgerald tells NewsRadio KDKA editor Pat Septak he believes her rapid and consistent response to the pandemic played a big role in her getting the statewide nomination:
"I think the way Dr. Bogen handled that to get good information out into the community without creating undue panic", he says, "I think the Governor-elect, Governor Shapiro, saw that, and heard about a lot of that".
Fitzgerald says he's very proud of Dr. Bogen, saying her nomination is well-deserved, and that he's thrilled to see "one our own from Western Pennsylvania leading the statewide effort".