Ghaly, Baass Appointed to Top CHHS Roles

On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Mark Ghaly, MD, MPH as the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS). Ghaly, a practicing pediatrician, is currently the director of health and social impact for Los Angeles County. He also served as the deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services from 2011 to 2018 and was previously the medical director for a San Francisco Department of Public Health clinic from 2006 to 2011.

Ghaly earned his medical degree from the Harvard Medical School and a Master of Public Health degree in health policy from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. His residency was completed at the University of California, San Francisco. Ghaly’s appointment requires Senate confirmation.

Additionally, Michelle Baass was reappointed as the CHHS Undersecretary. Baass has served as the undersecretary since 2018 and was previously the deputy secretary of the Office of Program and Fiscal Affairs from 2017 to 2018. Baass has an extensive background in state legislative and policy roles, including with the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, the Senate Office of Research, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Baass earned a Master of Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Sacramento. She was previously confirmed by the Senate in 2018.

The full announcement from the Newsom Administration is available here.