IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike is leaving the agency after three years of service. Her last day in that role will be March 14.
“With all her being, she has dedicated each day — and I mean EVERY day — to the agency’s mission to protect the health and wellness of the people in Illinois. For much of the last two years, she’s dedicated each night, too,” Gov. JB Pritzker said at a press conference Tuesday.
“Even with this unprecedented internal workload, Dr. Ezike prioritized joining me at more than 160 COVID press conferences, providing not only the latest expertise and data, but also her empathy and compassion – becoming a beacon of stability for millions during a time of tremendous uncertainty. And she has been doing so in both English and Spanish. She has an unshakeable faith in G-d, and she has leaned on her faith to give her the strength to care for the world.
“I have watched Dr. Ezike mourn the loss of every one of the 32,000 Illinoisans who have died from COVID-19. This pandemic is a collective trauma that has, for many, numbed their ability to comprehend death on a massive scale. Not Dr. Ezike. No number of sleepless nights and endless days could wear down her commitment to think first and foremost of Illinois’ most vulnerable.”
Pritzker claimed March 1 in honor of Dr. Ezike, asking people to take a moment to thank her for her service.
“I have utmost faith that Dr. Ezike’s next journey will also bring more good to the world – as has been the hallmark of every step of her career. She will go down in the Illinois history books as a woman who changed our state for the better. She saved lives, many thousands of lives,” Pritzker said.
“It has been a great honor serving the people of Illinois as the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Being the state’s top doc during a global pandemic has been challenging to say the least, but it’s been an amazing journey to work with so many great public health professionals and leaders from all sectors,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “I want to thank Governor Pritzker for the opportunity he provided me and for his dedication to the people of this great state. The dedicated men and women of IDPH, will continue their mission-driven work to protect the health and safety of all Illinois residents.”
Amaal Tokars, PhD., who is currently the Assistant Director of IDPH will serve as interim director while a nationwide search is conducted to find a permanent replacement. He has served as IDPH Assistant Director since June 2020 and is a Certified Public Health Administrator with a wide range of expertise. Prior to joining the administration, Tokars worked at the Kendall County Health Department and served as the President of the Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium. Previously, Tokars served at the Association for Individual Development for fourteen years where she managed over 30 health and human services sites and programs. Amaal received her Bachelor of Science from Lewis University, and her Masters in family systems as well as a PhD. in Leadership and Policy from Northern Illinois University. She is also a graduate of the Navy Post Graduate School. Dr. Arti Barnes, MD, MPH, who joined IDPH in 2020 will continue to serve as Chief Medical Officer.
