Lurie appoints new director of San Francisco public health

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced Tuesday a new director of the city's public health department. 

The incoming director, Daniel Tsai, formerly led the national Medicaid program at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

"We are going to be a national leader in public health, in behavioral health treatment, addiction recovery and healthcare access," Lurie said at a Tuesday press conference. "It's going to take creativity, compassion and collaboration and that is exactly what Dan Tsai brings to the table."

Tsai was unanimously nominated on Monday by the San Francisco Health Commission.

"I am excited and honored to be joining the Lurie administration and team at the Department of Public Health," Tsai said. "San Francisco’s healthcare system is storied and has some of the best facilities and people in the nation. 

San Francisco's Department of Public Health was previously led by Grant Colfax, who led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to working in healthcare at the national level, Tsai led Massachusetts's Medicaid program, which serves two million people.