FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2013

Contact: Communications Office
(850) 245-4111

TALLAHASSEE—Serving the Florida Department of Health (DOH) since 1984, Dr. Dennis V. Cookro, MD, MPH, is retiring as Interim Deputy Secretary for Health and Deputy State Health Officer for Children’s Medical Services.

“Leading with passion, creativity, and common sense, Dr. Cookro has made a tremendous difference for the health of Florida’s families,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “He has served our state with distinction as a health leader for nearly three decades.”

Dr. Cookro’s experience in Florida has been extensive as he advanced evidence-based preventive medicine and quality in public health practice across the state. He has worked as medical advisor to the Department, treated patients at seven of Florida’s county health departments (CHDs), and led the Florida CHD Medical Directors Association. He provided consulting services to all 67 CHDs, participated in the DOH Performance Improvement Team, and served as Director of three county health departments, Medical Director and Deputy District Administrator for Health.

Dr. Cookro is Board Certified in Preventative Medicine and Public Health, and continues to serve as an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Medicine. Previously, he worked for the United States Public Health Service, three state health departments, and the USF College of Public Health. He has been active in the Robert Wood Johnson funded Multistate Learning Collaborative.

DOH protects, promotes and improves the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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