Mayor Announces New Health Director; Charles Needs 2/3rd Framingham City Council Approval To Start

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FRAMINGHAM – Mayor Yvonne M. Spicer announced today, she has nominated Dr. Monifa Charles to be the City of Framingham’s new health Director.

She will replace Dr. Wong who resigned at the end of 2020.

As the appointment comes in the 4th year of the Mayor’s term, and she is up for re-election in November, the appointment needs a 2/3rd vote of the Framingham City Council or 8 of the 11 Councilors.

Dr. Charles has worked in public health for the last 18 years, most recently working for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service Office in Raleigh, where she identified innovative models of care and collaboration in underserved areas, according to the City’s press release.

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The City press release said she would start June 21, but that is based on confirmation from the 11-member City Council.

Prior to her current position in North Carolina, she served as the director of Rural Health Initiatives in Jacksonville, FL. In addition to tending to the program’s administration, Dr. Charles led behavioral health services and countywide and statewide initiatives for healthy families. She also worked as the community liaison for the U.S. Department of Education and Human Services for 12 years, where she developed, designed, and presented workshops and training on community health, child abuse and prevention, infectious diseases, disaster preparedness, etc. Before working in municipal government, she was a high school science teacher, said the City’s press release.

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“I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Charles to the City of Framingham’s Public Health Department,” said Spicer. “Her breadth and depth of diversity of experience makes her a stand out candidate. She brings a fantastic mix of public health knowledge and people management, and I’m
looking forward to her joining and leading the City’s top-notch health department.”

“It is with great excitement that I join the City of Framingham’s robust Public Health team. As I seek to work closely with all, especially in today’s challenging public health climate, I seek to lead the team with multi-faceted public health approaches based on interventions, preventative health models, effective collaborations, and partnerships with diverse communities. I hope to increase access and address the
multiple determinants that affect our overall health towards a comprehensive health-related quality of life for all within the City of Framingham,” said Dr. Monifa Charles.

If approved by the City Council, it would be a 3-year appointment.

Dr. Charles has a Doctorate of Health Science from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, FL, a Master of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Florida in Gainesville, and a Master of Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Health Service Administration from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

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The City received 11 resumes for its Director of Public Health position.

The selection committee included Mayor Spicer; Human Resources Department Director Dolores Hamilton; Chief Diversity, Equity; and Inclusion Officer Dr. Maritsa Barros and; Board of Health Members – Chair Gillian Carcia, Vice Chair David Moore, MD, and Laura Houseman, MPH, MBA.