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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN RECOGNITION OF DEBRA CAREY’S SERVICE AS INTERIM CEO FOR COOK COUNTY HEALTH
WHERAS, Debra D. Carey is an experienced and accomplished senior healthcare leader with expertise in urban health care and academic medical center management; and
WHEREAS, on January 1, 2020, Ms. Carey assumed the position of interim Chief Executive Officer of Cook County Health while the health system board of directors commenced a national search for new leadership; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Carey brought to that position the compassion, understanding and commitment to health equity that has guided her distinguished career; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Carey joined Cook County Health in 2013 as Chief Operating Officer of Ambulatory Services, where she was responsible for the health system’s network of outpatient health centers that see nearly one million visits each year; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, Ms. Carey was promoted to Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Operations, where she was responsible for all inpatient and outpatient operations for the health system; and
WHERAS, Ms. Carey was instrumental in the planning and opening of new state-of-the-art facilities to better serve Cook County Health’s patients in Arlington Heights, North Riverside, Chicago and Blue Island; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Carey has provided steadfast leadership to Cook County Health and its employees; and
WHEREAS, the year 2020 has proven to be a watershed year in healthcare and race relations with a global pandemic that further exposed the inequities Ms. Carey has devoted her career to addressing; and
WHEREAS, despite Cook County Health’s 180 year commitment to health equity, Ms. Carey has spent countless hours building and executing strategies designed to do more to bring services to communities CCH serves; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Carey’s commitment has led to increased efforts to address food and housing insecurity, mental health and substance abuse and needs in the justice-involved community; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Carey has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues for her extensive knowledge, her undying commitment to the health system and its mission, and her ability to quickly transform day-to-day operations to address the demands of the pandemic while providing a high-quality, safe system of care; and
WHEREAS, the Health System’s leadership team and the Cook County Health Board of Directors is indebted to Ms. Carey for her exceptional counsel and stalwart leadership; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Carey will resume the role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Operations for Cook County Health where she will continue to lead important areas of the organization on its journey to transforming into a patient centered organization; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the more than five million residents of Cook County, does hereby gratefully acknowledge Debra D. Carey for her remarkable leadership, service and steadfast commitment to the mission of Cook County Health and the people the health system serves.
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