Brookline’s New Health Director Appointed In Unanimous Vote

BROOKLINE, MA — The Brookline Select Board voted unanimously Tuesday evening to appoint Sigalle Reiss as the town’s next Director of Public Health and Human Services.

Reiss has served as Public Health Director for the Town of Norwood since 2006, overseeing a public health department with a staff of 11, several grant programs, and the town's public health budget. She also led Norwood’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and worked to increase public health services by introducing new programs like a substance-use prevention coalition, mental-health awareness, and FDA retail food standards.

Reiss believes in using a data-driven approach to developing, implementing, and evaluating public health programs, and works to develop community coalitions to help drive stakeholder investment in changing communities to improve public health.

"I am pleased to welcome Sigalle to Brookline, and I look forward to the positive change her focus on data-driven programming and community coalitions will bring to our town's public health programs," said Town Administrator Mel Kleckner in a statement. "Sigalle is a dedicated and passionate professional, and we are proud to have her on board at this pivotal moment in public health."

"I would also like to thank Patrick Maloney for his excellent work as interim director, which is only his most recent contribution after decades of service to the people of Brookline,” he continued.

Reiss holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dickinson College, a Masters of Public Health from the Boston University School of Public Health, and a certificate in Local Government and Leadership Management from Suffolk University and the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

She has served on the executive committee of the Massachusetts Health Officers Association for 12 years and served as president of the statewide professional organization for public health officials from 2020 to 2021. Reiss also serves on the Norwood Hospital Community Benefits Committee, the Elder Dental Advisory Committee, the Coalition for Local Public Health, and on the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Office of Oral Health Advisory Committee and Cancer Registry Advisory Committee.

Reiss holds certifications as a registered environmental health specialist and registered sanitarian, as an National Environmental Health Association Healthy Homes Specialist, a Department of environmental Protection soil evaluator and Title 5 inspector, a licensed code lead determination inspector, a certified pool and spa operator, and is certified in first aid and CPR by the American Red Cross.