Brookline Health Commissioner Dr. Swannie Jett Resigns

BROOKLINE, MA — Brookline's Director of Health and Human Services Dr. Swannie Jett has officially resigned, ending his time helping the town get through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Town Administrator Mel Kleckner announced the resignation at Tuesday's Select Board meeting, adding that Jett will be "pursuing an exciting opportunity" in Louisville, Kentucky.

“I want to thank Dr. Jett for his commitment and service to the town," said Kleckner. "Needless to say, especially during a worldwide, unprecedented pandemic. Even before 2020 and the pandemic began, Dr. Jett was a strong advocate for resources necessary to control outbreaks of communicable diseases and having the kind of bandwidth to predict and to deal with those," he continued.

Jett was appointed as Brookline's health director in April 2017, before which he founded Jettsteram Communications Consulting Group (JCCG) and worked as Health Officer in Florida and Kentucky. He is also Lieutenant Colonel in the Rhode Island Air National Guard and worked in Senegal assisting with the Ebola virus outbreak prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We have had a great experience with Dr. Jett and we have mixed emotions because of course we are sad to see him go, but we are happy for him moving to a place where he is closer to family and also the job, which is meeting his professional goals."

The Select Board members thanked Jett for his dedication to the town over the last several years, especially focusing on his response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I also want to thank Dr. Jett for the incredible job he has done for the Town of Brookline during this pandemic," said board member Bernard Greene. "I'd like to just focus on the fact that he took quick and early steps to respond, even when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was hesitating."

“We owe you a lot,” said board member John VanScoyoc. “Some people maybe owe you their health, or even more, their lives.”

Jett thanked the Select Board for their kind words and supporting his public health decisions during the pandemic. He also told members that his staff will be ready to help the town safely get "one more hurdle" in the fall as the Delta variant spreads.

"I do know we are going to be faced with some more serious decisions that we need to make and the data is going to indicate that " said Jett.