Dr. Dean Burke appointed as new commissioner of Georgia's Department of Community Health

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team

ATLANTA - Gov. Brian Kemp announced on Monday that Dr. Dean Burke will become the next commissioner of Georgia’s Department of Community Health, effective Aug. 1. 

Burke will succeed current Commissioner Russel Carlson, who is departing for a role in the private sector.

Dr. Dean Burke named GDCH commissioner

What they're saying:

"Marty, the girls, and I want to thank Dr. Burke for continuing his service to the people of our state in this new leadership position," Kemp said in a statement. "Given his extensive background in medicine and healthcare policy, he is uniquely qualified to fill this role at a pivotal time for this important agency. I'm confident he will demonstrate the same level of commitment as commissioner that he has shown throughout his many years of public service."

Kemp also thanked Carlson for his leadership and role in launching Georgia Pathways to Coverage, the state’s Medicaid expansion alternative.

"He has been a knowledgeable leader and was pivotal during the launch of the innovative Georgia Pathways to Coverage program," Kemp said. "Our family wishes him, Anne-Marie, and their three children well in this next phase of his career."

Who is Dr. Dean Burke?

The backstory:

Burke currently serves as Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Community Health, where he advises leadership on healthcare policy and oversees the State Health Benefit Plan and the State Office of Rural Health.

A former state senator, Burke represented Senate District 11 and held several key roles, including chairman of the Insurance and Labor Committee and vice-chair of both the Health and Human Services and Ethics committees. He also served on the Appropriations Committee and chaired its Community Health subcommittee.

Before his legislative service, Burke served five years on the Bainbridge City Council and worked as Chief Medical Officer at Memorial Hospital and Manor in Bainbridge. He chaired the Stratus Healthcare Governing Board and served on the Hospital Authority of the City of Bainbridge and Decatur County.

Burke graduated summa cum laude from Georgia Southwestern University and earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. He completed his specialty training in obstetrics and gynecology at Mercer University School of Medicine and practiced in rural Georgia for 27 years.

Burke and his wife, Thea, live in Bainbridge. They have two children and three grandchildren.

The Source: The Office of the Georgia Governor supplied the information and image for this article.