Virtual Chamber Luncheon with Dr. Kismet Baldwin, Deputy Public Health Officer

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Dr. Baldwin will discuss what we are seeing in the county in terms of number of new cases, test positivity, where we are seeing the most COVID transmission and in what business sectors. She will also explain the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, tier system so everyone is on the same page. After that, we will have a question and answer session

About Dr. Baldwin:
As a member of the Public Health Division, the Deputy Health Officer supports and shares responsibility with the Health Officer in the protection of county residents from public health hazards, including leading the response to urgent threats, such as epidemics, as well as identifying and addressing key public health priorities.

The position serves to provide medical expertise and management for program units including Disease Control & Surveillance, the Public Health Lab, Emergency Medical Services, Public Health Preparedness, Special Clinical Services, and the Office of Vital Statistics.

Dr. Baldwin served as San Joaquin County’s Health Officer from 2018-2019. While in that position, she worked with a team to develop long-range public health policy goals, objectives and strategies for the health department, as well as for individual programs such as tuberculosis, STI/HIV, and communicable disease programs, with epidemiologic investigations providing a common source of insight into a wide range of potential public health concerns. Dr. Baldwin’s addition to Sonoma County is also particularly timely given her recent service as Quarantine Medical Officer for San Francisco airport, providing clinical and epidemiological guidance in response to reports of illness in travelers and crew members.

Dr. Baldwin brings a wealth of expertise in her specialized field of Neonatology. Upon completion of a pediatric residency at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore and a fellowship at UCLA, she subsequently spent a year continuing her fellowship research, focusing on stem cell gene therapy for sickle cell disease. She then practiced as a neonatologist at Elliot Hospital in New Hampshire. While caring for mothers and babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Dr. Baldwin developed an interest in the community and socioeconomic factors affecting the health of her patients, sparking the desire to pursue the public health arena which ultimately led to her move to California. She is currently working on completing her Master of Public Health degree at the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Baldwin grew up in Ohio and attended Ohio State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Doctor of Medicine. She also developed a love for the Ohio State University Buckeyes! An avid college football fan, her Saturdays (in pre-COVID times) were devoted to watching multiple games during football season. In her spare time, she also enjoys traveling, watching movies, reading, bike-riding, exploring new restaurants, and salsa dancing.

Dr. Baldwin is excited to return to local public health work and looks forward to joining staff, as well as community and county partners, in improving the health and well-being of Sonoma County residents.