Dr. Bechara Choucairthe senior vice president and chief health officer at Kaiser Permanente, and onetime commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Healthis part of new President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' COVID-19 response team, according to a press release.
Choucair is the vaccinations coordinator. His role is to focus on making sure vaccines turn into vaccinations by coordinating the timely, safe and equitable delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations for the U.S. population, in close partnership with relevant federal departments and agencies, as well as state and local authorities.
Kaiser Permanente is the country's largest, private, integrated health system, with more than 12 million members across the United States. Choucair was Chicago's public health commissioner from 2009 to 2014.
Other members of the team include COVID Senior Policy Advisor Sonya Bernstein, COVID Intergovernmental Affairs Director Eduardo Cisneros (himself a graduate of the University of Chicago), COVID Digital Director Clarke Humphrey, Testing Coordinator Carole Johnson, Supply Coordinator Tim Manning (raised just outside Chicago), COVID Policy Advisor Osaremen Okolo (who served as senior health policy advisor to U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, of Illinois), Director of Strategic Communications and Engagement Courtney Rowe and COVID Data Director Dr. Cyrus Shahpar.