Commissioner Jan Malcolm
Commissioner of Health
Minnesota Department of Health
Commissioner Malcolm was appointed in January 2018 as commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Health. Ms. Malcolm is responsible for directing the work of the Minnesota Department of Health. MDH is the state's lead public health agency, responsible for protecting, maintaining and improving the health of all Minnesotans. The department has approximately 1,400 employees in the Twin Cities area and seven offices in Greater Minnesota. Professional Background Prior to being appointed commissioner, Jan Malcolm was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, where she co-directed a national research and leadership development program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Earlier she also helped develop initiatives to strengthen the nation’s public health system as a senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Commissioner Malcolm previously served as CEO of the Courage Center and as President of the Courage Kenny Foundation following the merger of Courage Center and the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute. She has also worked as Vice President of Public Affairs and Philanthropy at Allina Health. From 1999 to 2003, Ms. Malcolm served as Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health. Throughout her career, she has been active in state and national health care, public health associations, and government commissions on health care access and quality.