CHICAGO — Former IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike has been named the new president and CEO of the Sinai Chicago health system.
She was introduced Thursday following a nationwide selection process over the last few months, the hospital system said.
On March 14, Dr. Ezike resigned from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Since January 2019, she has served as the director after being hand-picked by Pritzker himself. She became the first Black woman the lead the agency and will also become the first Black woman to lead Sinai Chicago.
The hospital group is responsible for 3,200 caregivers across Mount Sinai Hospital, Holy Cross Hospital, Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital, a network of community clinic locations, as well as the Sinai Community Institute and the Sinai Urban Health Institute.
“I received many calls about various opportunities over the past year, but this is the right choice for me and the right moment. Sinai Chicago is where I want to be,” said Ezike. “For more than 100 years, Sinai Chicago has cared for the most underserved communities in Chicago. I’ve dedicated my career to advancing health equity and working with underserved communities. I am proud to take up the mantle of leading that legacy and continue my work, addressing issues of health equity that Sinai has been working on long before the COVID-19 pandemic brought them to brighter light. I am looking forward to working with my fellow caregivers, as well as partners in the communities we serve and beyond to help people live better, healthier lives.”
She will take over on June 13.