Governor-elect Tom Corbett has announced that he intends to nominate Eli Avila, JD, MD, of Hampton Bays, N.Y., as Secretary of Health.
Dr. Avila currently serves as chief deputy commissioner of the Suffolk County, N.Y., Department of Health Services, where he oversees a staff of more than 1,600 employees and manages an annual budget of more than $400 million.
Avila is also the co-chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Medical Research and Biotechnology Committee and is a lecturer in Employment Law at St. John’s University School of Law.
Dr. Avila will be responsible for carrying out the Health Department's mission to promote healthy lifestyles, prevent injury and disease and to provide top quality programs and services that benefit the health, safety and well-being of all Pennsylvanians.
Avila received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Brown University, his Doctor in Medicine degree from the Brown University School of Medicine, a J.D. from the St. John’s University School of Law, and a Master of Public Health from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine – New York University.