LaMar Hasbrouck will take over next month as the head of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
In a news release, Hasbrouck calls strong local health departments a "backbone."
He'll begin his new job Feb. 10.
Illinois' new governor, Republican Bruce Rauner, named Nirav Shah as Illinois' new public health director.
Shah had been working as an attorney at a top Chicago law firm, and lectured at the University of Chicago medical school.
He holds both law and medical degrees from the U of C.