Dr. Jonathan Fielding announced his retirement from his post as the director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in a memo to his colleagues on Wednesday.
Fielding was director of the Department of Public Health for 16 years and intends to teach at UCLA, whose Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health bears his name, after retiring from his county post.
Jonathan and Karin Fielding gave $50 million to the school in 2012, the largest donation received by the school in its history.
Prior to leading the public health department, Fielding was a professor at UCLA’s School of Public Health and at the David Geffen School of Medicine. Fielding also served as the Massachusetts commissioner of public health.
“I plan to return to UCLA to help train future public health leaders and do research on how we can be even more effective,” Fielding wrote in his memo.
During his time as director, the county’s public health department implemented the L.A. County Health Survey, a telephone survey to assess the county’s medical and health needs, as well as programs to reduce tobacco use and increase physical activity.
“With your help I am confident that our Department will continue to make a difference in the lives of every resident of our great County,” Fielding wrote.
Fielding will step down from his director position as soon as a replacement is appointed.
Compiled by Yael Levin, Bruin senior staff.