New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today announced his intention to nominate Kaitlan Baston as the new Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health.

Dr. Baston, MD, MSc, DFASAM will assume the role in August following the retirement of Commissioner Judith Persichilli, who announced last week that she will be stepping down from her position.

“I am thrilled to nominate Dr. Kaitlan Baston as our next Commissioner of the Department of Health,” Governor Murphy said in a statement.

“The Department plays a vital role in protecting the public’s health, while also promoting healthy communities and constantly improving the quality of health care for all New Jerseyans. Dr. Baston’s breadth of experience as a physician, highlighted by her many leadership roles within the addiction and health care space, will make her an exceptional Commissioner at the Department of Health.”

Dr. Baston is currently the Division Head of Addiction Medicine and Medical Director of the Center for Healing at Cooper University Health Care.

She founded the center, which includes integrated pain, addiction, and behavioral health care; an inpatient addiction consult service; outpatient specialty clinics; a wrap-around perinatal substance use disorder program and undergraduate and graduate medical education in addiction medicine and research.

Dr. Baston is also an educator and consultant for Zero to Three, an organization focused on ensuring all babies and toddlers have a strong start to life, and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

Dr. Baston obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University, a Master of Science degree in neuroscience from Kings College London, and an M.D. from Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. She is also dual boarded in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine.