Overview: Dr. Jennifer R. Chevinsky has been appointed as the first woman to hold the position of Public Health Officer for Riverside County. Prior to this appointment, she operated as the county’s deputy public health officer since 2021. She is board certified in Preventive Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, and Health Care Administration, and has been a key figure in the county’s response to COVID-19, monkeypox and bird flu.
Breanna Reeves
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors appointed Dr. Jennifer R. Chevinsky as the county’s new public health officer, making her the first woman to hold the position of Public Health Officer for Riverside County.
Prior to this appointment, Dr. Chevinsky operated as Riverside County’s deputy public health officer since 2021. Chevinsky succeeds Dr. Geoffrey Leung, who recently stepped away from the position after holding the title for four years.
“I do want to thank Dr. Leung for his service over the past few years, and I do appreciate him passing the torch,” Dr. Chevinsky said. She worked under Dr. Leung as deputy public health officer during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She is board certified in Preventive Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, and Health Care Administration, Leadership and Management. She served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and also responded to infectious disease-related outbreaks.
Dr. Chevinsky oversaw the Division of Infectious Disease, Community Health Planning and Health Equity for Riverside University Health System – Public Health (RUHS-PH). She has been a key figure in the county’s response to COVID-19, monkeypox and bird flu (H5N1).
“Dr. Chevinsky brings an exceptional breadth of experience and knowledge in public health, making her an invaluable asset to our community,” stated Board Chair V. Manuel Perez, Fourth District Supervisor, in a press release. “Her expertise and dedication will help us address complex challenges as we strive to promote overall health and vitality for all residents.”
During the pandemic, Dr. Chevinsky and the team at RUHS launched “equity sites” for distributing monoclonal antibody treatments like Evusheld. These COVID-19 treatments were given emergency authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and were administered at regional sites to community members, regardless of insurance status.
With Dr. Chevinsky stepping into the role of public health officer, she plans to continue supporting ongoing projects across RUHS departments, but looks forward to new projects.
“I think what’s going to be really important is community partnership. That’s one thing I’m really passionate about, and I was able to do as part of my work as a deputy public health officer, and I look forward to carrying into my role as a health officer,” Dr. Chevinsky said.
As deputy public health officer, she led a virtual presentation about COVID-19 resources as part of Riverside County’s Public Health Equity team invitation to Building Resilient Communities and other local Black-led organizations to join a community-wide effort to educate the Black community about COVID-19.
Now, as public health officer, Dr. Chevinsky hopes to continue expanding community partnerships while also “promoting policies, systems and community conditions that enable optimal health for all people who live, work, play in Riverside County,” she said. Her priorities align with the CDC’s 10 Essential Public Health Services (EPHS), a framework that describes the public health activities that all communities should engage in such as enabling equitable access.
Dr. Chevinsky earned her medical degree at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and completed her residency and a master’s degree in public health at Loma Linda University (LLU). She is also an Assistant Professor for LLU’s Department of Preventive Medicine and School of Public Health, and serves on state and national public health committees.
The county public health officer is responsible for expanding public health policy, overseeing the enforcement of California regulations, and acting as a trusted voice during outbreaks or emergencies to inform the community about policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.