Marvia Jones named first Black female director of Kansas City Health Department

Jones takes over leadership of Kansas City's health department as COVID-19 cases run high, and as Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt challenges the authority of local health agencies to issue mitigation orders.
Marvia Jones, who previously served as the Kansas City Health Department’s violence prevention and policy manager, has been appointed as the department’s director, the city announced Friday morning.

Jones received a Ph.D in behavioral health and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Kansas. She says she wants to build on the health department’s innovative strategies.

“Community engagement is integral to public health because it demonstrates to residents that they have value, and that their voice is respected,” Jones said in a press release.