Patrick Dowd Chosen as Environmental Charter School CEO
Published on June 17, 2024
PITTSBURGH – This evening the Environmental Charter School board of trustees voted to confirm Patrick Dowd as the next CEO of the school. Currently Mr. Dowd serves as the Acting Director of the Allegheny County Health Department. He will continue to serve in that role until July 9, 2024.
County Executive Sara Innamorato said: “I want to thank Patrick Dowd for his service at the Allegheny County Department of Health. He stepped up to serve the public during the COVID pandemic and continued to serve as Acting Director as my administration began, allowing for a smooth transition.”
"I am honored to have served with the team at the Allegheny County Health Department. I joined them just at the time of the rollout of the COVID 19 vaccines. Through the pandemic and beyond I have been in awe of the breath of work they do, their dedication and professionalism in their service and their passion for improving public health outcomes and equity," said Patrick Dowd. “I look forward to returning to my roots in education in my next chapter and am confident the department is poised for success under its next leader.”
Mr. Dowd started at the ACHD on February 1, 2021, initially serving as the department’s inaugural chief operating officer under Dr. Debra Bogen, M.D. who was then the Director. At the time his work focused on vaccine rollout. After Dr. Bogen departed for the State Department of Health, Patrick was named Acting Director in January 2023. Prior to his time at ACHD, Mr. Dowd served as the Executive Director of Allies for Children from 2013-2021. He previously worked as a teacher at Winchester Thurston and the Ellis School. He holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Lee Harrison, the Chair of the Board of Health, said: “I want to thank Patrick for his service at the Health Department, and especially for his willingness to serve as Acting Director for the last year and a half. His professionalism and dedication to public health were deeply appreciated by the Board and we wish him the best in his next endeavor.”
The Allegheny County Board of Health will meet in the coming weeks to vote on a nominee to serve as the next Director of Health Department.
“ACHD has a vast set of responsibilities under its purview, from restaurant inspections to regulating asbestos remediation, and much more. Protecting public health is a top priority for my administration and I look forward to having a confirmed Director in place to lead the department in the very near future,” continued County Executive Innamorato.
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