Dr. Michael Mendoza

Commissioner of Public Health, Monroe County Health Department

Years in current role: 6

What was your biggest success in 2021?

Helping to lead the county COVID vaccination effort and response to COVID.

What are your expectations for 2022?

I hope to see greater attention to the secondary impact of COVID on our community — education, mental health, disease prevention — and a renewed commitment to science and evidence.

What is your biggest takeaway from dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic?

We need to improve our system of primary care, public health preparedness, and social services more effectively in order to better withstand future public health threats.

This profile is part of Rochester Business Journal's Power 100 list for 2022. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. View the full list at rbj.net.