On Thursday, Mayor Brandon M. Scott of Baltimore appointed two veteran public health professionals from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health as part-time Senior Advisors on health policy. Dr. Joshua Sharfstein and Michelle Spencer are set to guide the city during the critical phase of transition between Health Commissioners while the search for a permanent appointee is ongoing. According to a statement from the Mayor's office, the advisors will keep their current posts at Johns Hopkins and their advisory roles are to be supported by the Bloomberg School's Bloomberg American Health Initiative.
Mayor Scott expressed his gratitude for the appointees, stating, "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", as cited by the press release. He emphasized the importance of their expertise, particularly amid the city's ongoing overdose crisis. Dr. Sharfstein, with a background in pediatrics and extensive experience in health policy, previously served as Baltimore's Health Commissioner and has been recognized as an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. To couple his professional credentials, he also has co-authored a book on the opioid epidemic. Spencer brings over two decades of public health management to the table and is deeply rooted in work centered on health equity and racial disparities.
"I look forward to supporting Baltimore by advising the administration during this important time, and I thank the Mayor for the opportunity to serve," Dr. Joshua Sharfstein told the Mayor's office. Spencer, echoed a similar sentiment, "I'm humbled by the opportunity to advise and serve Baltimore during this transition period and to support its critical public health work."
This move appears to strengthen Baltimore's commitment to addressing health challenges head-on. The city also recently announced Sara Whaley, the Program Director of the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative, is to equally serve in an advisory capacity specifically on the city's use of opioid litigation settlement funds.
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