WXXI News
Monroe County has a new commissioner of public health. Dr. Marielena Vélez de Brown recently started a six-year term, appointed by County Executive Adam Bello.
The position of public health commissioner rose in prominence during the pandemic, when Dr. Michael Mendoza became a fixture in communication and health policy.
This hour, Dr. Vélez de Brown discusses how she sees the role of public health — particularly at a time when public trust in institutions has declined, and Americans are rejecting vaccines at a higher rate than any point in the past two generations.
In studio:
- Marielena Vélez de Brown, M.D., commissioner of the Monroe County Department of Public Health and medical director of Starlight Pediatrics
