Christine Pozzi named new public health administrator in La Salle County

Christine Pozzi was named the new public health administrator in La Salle County, beginning Monday, June 6.

Pozzi will succeed Julie Kerestes, who will retire Friday, June 3.

“Chris Pozzi has a wealth of knowledge and experience that she brings to her new position as public health administrator,” said Bill Johnson, president of the La Salle County Board of Health. “As a long-term employee of the La Salle County Health Department, her 29 years of experience is a tremendous asset to the board of health.”

Pozzi is a La Salle County native who began her career with the health department in 1992 as an associate sanitarian. She became a sanitarian in 1993, and then became the wastewater coordinator in 1995. Pozzi then became the Environmental Health Division’s supervising sanitarian in 2001 and was promoted to Environmental Health Division director in 2016.

Kerestes has been the public health administrator at the La Salle County Health Department since 2001. Kerestes had a 36-year public health career. She came to work at the newly-formed La Salle County Health Department in 1987. Kerestes and Pozzi have worked closely together in all aspects of public health administration, including administrative and fiscal duties, personnel operations, policy development, and during the COVID pandemic.