Patrick Dowd, the county’s acting health director, is soon leaving to become CEO of Pittsburgh’s Environmental Charter School, the county and school’s board of trustees recently announced. His last day at the county will be July 9.
Mr. Dowd has been in an acting role leading the county’s health department since January 2023. Prior to that, he served as the department’s chief operating officer since Feb. 2021. He replaced Dr. Debra Bogen, who left the county health department to join Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, where she currently serves as the acting secretary of health for the state.
Mr. Dowd also has been a city council member in Pittsburgh and was the inaugural executive director of Allies for Children, a local nonprofit that aims to improve the health and well-being of children in the Pittsburgh region.
Abigail Gardner, a county spokesperson, said that the county has been receiving applications for the health director position since County Executive Sara Innamorato won election to the county’s top post in November.
“Patrick was always serving in an acting role and understood he was a leader until the Board of Health chose a new director,” Ms. Gardner wrote in an email. “The Board of Health will be meeting soon to vote on a new director.”
The Board of Health’s next scheduled meeting is July 17. The Environmental Charter School’s board of trustees voted Monday evening to make Mr. Dowd its new CEO, effective July 15. Jon McCann, its current CEO and founder, is retiring, according to a news release.
“Dr. Dowd’s unique career path encompasses a variety of academic environments: local government; school boards; non-profits; and the classroom,” Dr. Adam Tobias, ECS Board of Trustees President said in a prepared statement. “His versatile and well-rounded experiences in several academic sectors make him the ideal candidate to connect with our stakeholders and guide ECS forward.”
Mr. Dowd said that the new role allows him to return to his roots in education.
“While my work has always connected to education, I cherished my time as a teacher the most,” Mr. Dowd said in a prepared statement. “I’m looking forward to connecting with students, families, faculty and staff again.”
First Published: June 18, 2024, 4:39 p.m.
Updated: June 18, 2024, 5:48 p.m.
