Press Release
BCHC announces 2025-26 board directors and executive officers
April 2025
Washington, DC—On April 1, the Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) announced its 2025–26 Board of Directors, including its executive officers. BCHC’s Board is chosen by the organization’s membership, the leaders of 35 of the largest city health departments in the United States, and the officers are elected by the board.
| Board Role | Name | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Raynard Washington, PhD, MPH | Health Director, Mecklenburg County Public Health |
| Chair-Elect | Michelle Taylor, MD, DrPH, MPA | Director and Health Officer, Shelby County Health Department |
| Vice Chair | David Margolius, MD | Director, Cleveland Department of Public Health |
| Immediate Past Chair | Philip Huang, MD, MPH | Director and Health Authority, Dallas County Health and Human Services |
| Treasurer | Sami Jarrah, MPH | Vice Dean for Finance and Administration and Executive Director for Public Partnerships, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health |
| Assistant Treasurer | Gretchen Musicant, MPH, BSN | Retired Commissioner, Minneapolis Health Department (2005–2022) |
| Secretary | Mysheika Roberts, MD, MPH | Health Commissioner, Columbus |
| Member at Large | Ayanna Bennett, MD, MSPH, FAAP | Director, DC Department of Health |
| Member at Large | Sara Cody, MD | Health Officer and Director, County of Santa Clara Public Health Department |
| Member at Large | Marvia Jones, PhD, MPH | Director, Kansas City (MO) Health Department |
| Member at Large | Faisal Khan, MBBS, MPH | Director, Public Health—Seattle & King County |
| Member at Large | Bisola Ojikutu, MD, MPH | Commissioner of Public Health, City of Boston and Executive Director, Boston Public Health Commission |
Ayanna Bennett and Bisola Ojikutu join the Board for the first time this year as at-large members.
“It is a privilege to have such strong leadership on BCHC’s Board, ” said BCHC Executive Director Chrissie Juliano, MPP. “In addition to adding new perspectives to our Board, I am delighted to be working with Raynard Washington for a second year as Board Chair. His unwavering commitment not only to his community, but the public health field as a whole shows what true leadership looks like.” Find more information about BCHC’s governance structure on the organization’s website.
About the Big Cities Health Coalition
The Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) is a forum for the leaders of America’s largest metropolitan health departments to exchange strategies and jointly address issues to promote and protect the health and safety of their residents. Collectively, BCHC member jurisdictions directly impact more than 61 million people, or one in five Americans.