Queens native and emergency physician to lead $1.6B agency, becoming first Haitian American in the role
New York, NY – February 1, 2026 New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani has appointed Dr. Alister Martin, a distinguished Haitian-American emergency physician and public health leader, as the new commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).
The announcement, made on January 31, is part of a broader set of key administrative appointments aimed at strengthening the city’s public services. Dr. Martin will oversee one of the world’s largest public health systems, managing a $1.6 billion annual budget and more than 7,000 employees responsible for disease prevention, outbreak response, community health programs, and ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all New Yorkers.
From Jackson Heights to Harvard and City Hall
Born and raised in Jackson Heights, Queens, as the son of a Haitian immigrant single mother, Dr. Martin described the appointment as deeply personal.
“As a kid from Jackson Heights, nothing means more to me than coming home to serve the city I was born in,” he said in a statement. He paid tribute to his mother’s journey — from working as a fry cook at McDonald’s to becoming a United Nations consultant — as a source of inspiration for his career in medicine and public service.
Currently an emergency room physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Martin brings extensive frontline and policy experience to the role. He previously served as an adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris and as a fellow in the White House Office of Public Engagement. He is the founder of Vot-ER, a nonpartisan nonprofit that integrates civic participation into healthcare settings, and leads A Healthier Democracy, an incubator for healthcare organizing at Northeastern University.
His initiatives have trained over 80,000 clinicians, reached millions of patients, disbursed $5.5 million in benefits, and partnered with more than 1,700 hospitals across all 50 states.
A Historic Milestone for the Haitian Diaspora
Mayor Mamdani praised Dr. Martin’s “results-driven approach” and his unique blend of experience “on the frontlines of public health, as well as at the highest levels of government.”
This appointment marks a historic milestone: Dr. Martin becomes the first Haitian American to lead the DOHMH, reflecting the growing influence and contributions of the Haitian diaspora in New York City — home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the United States.
L’Union Suite congratulates Dr. Alister Martin on this groundbreaking appointment. His leadership comes at a critical time for public health in the city, and we look forward to seeing how his vision and expertise will serve all New Yorkers — especially the Haitian and immigrant communities that have long called this city home.
