Gov. Phil Murphy announced Friday that Marcela Ospina Maziarz has been named interim acting commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, taking the helm from Dr. Shereef Elnahal, who left the administration to serve as CEO of University Hospital in Newark.
Murphy announced last month his intention to nominate former University Hospital interim CEO Judith Persichilli as the commissioner of health. She will begin her role as acting commissioner next Monday.
Maziarz is the former deputy commissioner for health systems, overseeing the Division of Health Facilities Survey and Field Operations, Certificate of Need and Licensing and the Office of Health Care Financing. These programs include 300 staff and a $500 million budget.
Maziarz has also worked with first lady Tammy Murphy, national, state and local partners on maternal health quality initiatives.
Prior to joining the department, Maziarz was the assistant director of budget and fiscal analysis for the New Jersey State Senate Majority Office. Before that, she was the deputy press secretary for former Gov. Jon Corzine and a legislative director for an Assembly member.
She has a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from Rutgers University.
