PARMA, Ohio — New leadership is coming to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH).
On Wednesday, CCBH announced that Health Commissioner Terry Allan will be retiring in April after a 33-year career in Cuyahoga County. Allan served as Cuyahoga County's health commissioner for the last 18 years.
“It has been my honor and privilege to serve Cuyahoga County over the past three decades, working with our board, our extraordinary staff and a wide range of public health partners,” Allan said in a statement.
Allan will be replaced by Dr. Roderick (Rod) Harris, who currently serves as a deputy director for the Allegheny County Health Department in Pittsburgh. Harris is a Cleveland native who began his public health career with CCBH in environmental health.
“I’m excited to return to my hometown to take on the role that I have worked toward for my entire career,” said Dr. Harris. “CCBH is a nationally renowned health department and I’m looking forward to working with the staff and community stakeholders to build upon its outstanding legacy.”
Allan's retirement comes as Cuyahoga County's COVID-19 numbers have significantly improved since the start of the year. On January 1, the county's case rate was the highest in Ohio at the height of the omicron variant surge. As of February 17, it is the lowest in the state.
“With COVID-19 pandemic numbers finally dropping in our community, now is an ideal time to pass the torch to Dr. Harris to lead CCBH into the future," Allan added.
Harris, who has 25 years of experience in public health, will officially assume the role of Cuyahoga County health commissioner on April 11.
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