Mayor Brandon Scott Announces Dr. Joshua Sharfstein and Michelle Spencer as Senior Advisors

BALTIMORE, MD (Thursday, August 15, 2024) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced that Dr. Joshua Sharfstein and Michelle Spencer from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will join the Scott Administration as part-time Senior Advisors on health policy. Both will support the Scott Administration during the transition between Health Commissioners, as the City continues its nationwide search. Both Sharfstein and Spencer will maintain their current positions at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Their time spent advising the administration will be supported through the Bloomberg School's Bloomberg American Health Initiative.

"Baltimore is blessed to be home to some of the best public health professionals in the world, and Dr. Sharfstein and Ms. Spencer are exemplary examples of that wealth of talent. I am grateful for their commitment to Baltimore City and their willingness to join our team during this critically important time," said Mayor Brandon Scott. "Their deep knowledge, experience, and dedication to health equity will be invaluable and will certainly help ensure that the invaluable work of the Health Department continues uninterrupted. I am confident that with their support, we will continue to strengthen our Health Department and effectively address the urgent health challenges facing our city, particularly the overdose crisis."

Dr. Joshua Sharfstein is a highly respected public health leader with extensive experience in health policy, regulation, and community engagement. He currently serves as Distinguished Professor of the Practice, Director of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, and Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement at the Bloomberg School. Previously, he served as Health Commissioner of Baltimore City from December 2005 to March 2009, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. A pediatrician by training, he is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and elected fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. He is co-author of The Opioid Epidemic: What Everyone Needs to Know, published in 2019 by Oxford University Press.

"I look forward to supporting Baltimore by advising the administration during this important time, and I thank the Mayor for the opportunity to serve," said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein.

Michelle Spencer, MS, brings over 25 years of experience in public health management and leadership, with a focus on health equity and racial disparities. As the Deputy Director of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative and a Practice Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Bloomberg School, Spencer is a national expert in community-based health initiatives.

Spencer previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Baltimore City Health Department for eight years. She also served as the Director of the Prevention and Health Promotion Administration at the Maryland Department of Health and Director of the Maryland Health Enterprise Zone initiative. Earlier in her career, Spencer led chronic disease and violence intervention programs.

"I'm humbled by the opportunity to advise and serve Baltimore during this transition period and to support its critical public health work," said Michelle Spencer.

Both Sharfstein and Spencer will begin their advisory roles immediately, providing guidance and strategic support as the Health Department continues its essential work to protect and promote the health of all Baltimoreans. The Bloomberg American Health Initiative, which Sharfstein and Spencer lead, works to address major challenges to American health by providing scholarships to public health students, supporting research and community activities, and providing advice and support to tribal, local, and state governments as well as the federal government.

This month, the City also announced that Sara Whaley, the Program Director of the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative at the Bloomberg School and a senior practice associate at the School, is serving in an advisory role on the City's use of settlement funds. Whaley is the lead author and organizer of "The Principles for the Use of Funds from the Opioid Litigation," considered the outline for national best practices for states and localities who receive these funds. Ms. Whaley is a national expert on the use of settlement funds and has advised states across the country on best practices for spending opioid settlement funds.

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