Milwaukee Health Department names interim commissioner

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – The Milwaukee Health Department is naming Marlaina Jackson as the interim Commissioner of Health.

The term will go into effect at 12 a.m. on September 23.

Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik announced on September 2 she is resigning to return to Washington, D.C., where she will join Trust for America's Health, a health policy organization.

Jackson is a Milwaukee native. She worked for Froedtert Hospital before joining the Milwaukee Health Department in April 2020. According to a press release, she has managed the school, child care, and religious/faith-based sector COVID-19 guidance and the COVID-19 safety plan process.

Jackson said she has big shoes to fill and the job will be challenging, but her big focus will be tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"The City of Milwaukee is in the process right now of doing a mask distribution of masks and those would be cloth, reusable, washable masks. So, if you go to the Milwaukee Health Department website there is a link to different areas across the city where you can actually pick up free masks for any individual,” Jackson said.

This term will be in effect until the next commissioner is nominated by Mayor Tom Barrett and confirmed by the Common Council.