CALIFORNIA—Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Dr. Tomas J. Aragon as California’s newest director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on Monday, December 7. Dr. Aragon, who currently serves as San Francisco’s health officer, must be confirmed by the California State Senate.

After the governor’s announcement at a briefing in Sacramento, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said on Twitter:

“Dr. Aragon is a thoughtful leader who has helped shape our response to this pandemic.  California has a long and difficult road ahead and we know he will continue to serve us all well in his new role with the State.”

According to his LinkedIn profile, Dr. Aragon served as San Francisco’s Health Officer and as the Director of the Population Health Division since December 2010.

He currently serves as part of the volunteer faculty at the University of California-Berkeley School of Public Health, where he has served since 2004.

If confirmed by the CA Senate, Dr. Aragon will replace Acting Director Sandra Shewey, who took charge after former CDPH Director Sonia Angell resigned from her position in August 2020. Aragon has a Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School, a Doctor of Public Health degree from the University of California-Berkeley, and a Master in Public Health degree from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.