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CHICAGO - Chicago's commissioner of public health, Dr. Olusimbo (Simbo) Ige has resigned her post, the mayor's office confirmed on Saturday.
The backstory:
Ige has served in the position since late 2023. She succeeded Dr. Allison Arwady, whom Johnson fired in 2023, just a few months after taking office.
She's also previously served as the managing director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and as assistant commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
This was just the latest in a series of staff shake-ups at City Hall during Mayor Brandon Johnson's tenure.
What they're saying:
A statement from the mayor's office says:
"Mayor Johnson has accepted Dr. Ige’s letter of resignation. We thank her for her expertise and years of service as Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). Mayor Johnson will work expeditiously to identify a permanent replacement while First Deputy Commissioner Fikirte Wagaw will serve as Acting Commissioner."
City Hall shakeups
Earlier this month, Nancy Andrade resigned as the city's human relations commissioner as she alleged there was a hostile work environment and accused the mayor's team of "bullying, utterly unethical and unprofessional" conduct, according to emails obtained by Fox Chicago.
Deputy Mayor Garien Gatewood and Manny Whitfield, who served as director of violence prevention and community safety, were also fired back in March. The separation came in part over disagreements over personnel discipline. Whitfield alleged Johnson displayed hostility toward law enforcement and he needed to prod the mayor to attend ceremonies for fallen officers.