Fikirte Wagaw named acting Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There's a new, temporary head of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Fikirte Wagaw will take over as the acting commissioner.

Wagaw was previously the first deputy commissioner of the department, and has also worked as community planner, epidemiologist and public health administrator, mostly in the HIV program at CDPH.

She received her BA from the University of Michigan and her MPH from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Wagaw is replacing Dr. Allison Arwardy, who was fired by Mayor Brandon Johnson.