Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the appointment of Dr. Dave Ashok Chokshi to the New York City Board of Health. The City Council approved the appointment Sept. 10. Dr. Chokshi will serve the remainder of a six-year term expiring May 31, 2030.
Dr. Chokshi is a practicing physician at Bellevue Hospital and previously served as New York City's 43rd health commissioner and Chair of the Board of Health. He is currently Sternberg Family Professor and Founding Director of the Health & Opportunity Leadership Institute (HOLI) at the City College of New York and Chair of the Common Health Coalition.
"Dr. Dave Chokshi has dedicated his career to caring for patients and protecting public health," said Mayor Mamdani. "As New York City's Health Commissioner during the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped lead our city through one of the greatest public health crises in our history, from expanding access to testing and treatment to vaccinating millions of New Yorkers. I am proud to welcome him back to the Board of Health, where his experience and commitment to public service will help us build a healthier city for every New Yorker."
"Dr. Dave Chokshi represents what public service looks like when it is grounded in a deep commitment to the health and well-being of New Yorkers," said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. "I had the privilege of working alongside Dr. Chokshi during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and saw firsthand his dedication, thoughtfulness and leadership. We are thrilled to welcome him back to the Board of Health."
"It is an honor to welcome Dr. Dave A. Chokshi back to the New York City Board of Health," said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin. "As a practicing physician and former public health official who served as the 43rd Commissioner for the New York City Health Department, Dr. Chokshi will bring decades of experience at the city, state, and federal levels. Most notably, he led the City's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including its historic campaign to vaccinate over 6 million New Yorkers, saving tens of thousands of lives."
"It has been a privilege to serve our City in various roles over more than a decade now, and I look forward to the chance to do so again through the Board of Health," said Dr. Dave A. Chokshi. "The Board of Health is an historic institution, safeguarding New Yorkers for over two centuries. From scourges like smallpox and cholera to present-day diseases like cancer and COVID-19, the Board has been at the forefront of public health."
About Dr. Dave A. Chokshi
Dave Ashok Chokshi, MD, MSc is the Sternberg Family Professor and Founding Director of the Health & Opportunity Leadership Institute (HOLI) at the City College of New York. He is also Chair of the Common Health Coalition and Co-Chair of the Health and Political Economy Project, and a Senior Scholar at the CUNY School of Public Health.
Dr. Chokshi previously served as New York City's 43rd Health Commissioner during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading the City's vaccination campaign and helping shape its testing and treatment strategies. He also helped navigate school and economic reopenings and served as a principal public spokesperson for the City's pandemic response. During his tenure, the Health Department launched signature initiatives focused on overdose prevention, community health workers and nurse visits for new moms and babies. As Chair of the Board of Health, he led the adoption of a landmark resolution declaring racism a public health crisis.
From 2014 to 2020, Dr. Chokshi held leadership roles at NYC Health + Hospitals, including serving as its inaugural Chief Population Health Officer. He also served as CEO of the H+H Accountable Care Organization (ACO).
Earlier in his career, Dr. Chokshi, was appointed by President Barack Obama as a White House Fellow at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he served as principal health adviser in the Office of the Secretary.
Dr. Chokshi has cared for patients at Bellevue Hospital since 2014, with his current clinical practice focused on people experiencing homelessness. He trained in internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and was a clinical fellow at Harvard Medical School. During his training, he conducted clinical work in Guatemala, Peru, Botswana, Ghana and India. He received his MD with Alpha Omega Alpha distinction from the University of Pennsylvania, an MSc in global public health as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and graduated summa cum laude from Duke University.
About the NYC Board of Health
The New York City Board of Health is an 11-member board appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the City Council. Members serve six-year terms and represent a broad range of health and medical disciplines.
The Board oversees the New York City Health Code and has enacted measures to protect and improve the health and well-being of New Yorkers, including provisions addressing lead paint and tuberculosis control. In 2026, the Board also adopted a resolution condemning federal attacks on public health insurance coverage.
