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After a year-long search, Cincinnati has a new permanent health commissioner

Cincinnati Interim Health Director Dr. Grant Mussman speaks Monday morning, with city and county health and elected leaders.
Bill Rinehart
/
WVXU
Cincinnati's then-Interim Health Director Dr. Grant Mussman speaks in August 2022 with city and county health and elected leaders.

After almost a year of searching, Cincinnati now has a new health commissioner — and he's a familiar face.

The Cincinnati Board of Health Tuesday voted 8-1 to appoint Dr. Grant Mussman to the leadership role. Mussman has been interim health commissioner since last March after former health commissioner Melba Moore resigned from the position last January.

Mussman, a pediatrician, has served the Cincinnati Health Department since 2018, when he began practicing at the Braxton Cann Medical Center and the Price Hill Health Center. He was promoted to medical director in late 2020.

A committee of city officials undertook a national search for Moore's replacement starting last year. The city contracted a search firm called Poly Hire, which identified three finalists for the committee to consider. The committee voted to recommend the board of health choose Mussman earlier this month, but also had strong interest in another internal candidate, Assistant Health Commissioner Dr. Maryse Amin.

The Board of Health discussed the two candidates in executive session before voting for Mussman.

"We had two outstanding candidates for commissioner," Board Chair Dr. Monica J. Mitchell said. "The fact that we have two amazing people in such esteemed leadership positions is a credit to us all."

Nick has reported from a nuclear waste facility in the deserts of New Mexico, the White House press pool, a canoe on the Mill Creek, and even his desk one time.