As the Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services, Dr. Gourdine is dedicated to providing comprehensive, accessible healthcare services in the rural and urban underserved communities throughout the State. She is committed to strengthening Maryland’s public healthcare delivery system through fiscal responsibility, improved infrastructure and strategies to reduce health disparities. She oversees seven public health services administrations for the Department, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Anatomy Board as well as the twenty-four (24) local health departments throughout the State. As the principal public health administrator in Maryland, her leadership responsibilities include implementation of healthcare delivery services, establishing public health policy, regulations and legislative initiatives. Additionally, the Deputy Secretary is responsible for the administration and operation of two hospital facilities for the chronically ill; four institutions for the developmentally disabled and ten inpatient hospital centers for the mentally ill. Dr. Gourdine is also responsible for the management and oversight of community-based services for developmentally disabled and mentally ill clients as well as residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment services statewide. Dr. Gourdine supervises a staff of 6000 with an annual budget of over $1.2 billion.

Prior to her appointment as Deputy Secretary for DHMH, Dr. Gourdine served as the Health Officer for Baltimore County, Maryland for ten years. One of the largest, most diverse jurisdictions in the State, the Baltimore County Health Department provides healthcare services to nearly 800,000 residents. As the County Health Officer, Dr. Gourdine supervised a staff of more than five hundred with an annual budget of about $40 million. During her tenure in the County, she focused on ensuring quality health care services that included disease prevention, emergency preparedness, health education and promotion, hospital support services and substance abuse treatment, prevention and education programs. One of her most significant contributions to healthcare delivery included the creation of the Partner’s Health Improvement Program hat offers comprehensive health coverage to low income, uninsured residents.

Gourdine, public health, DHMH

2005 Maryland’s Top 100 Women Circle of Excellence

2003 “Woman on the Move” award, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

2001 and 2003 Maryland’s Top 100 Women

2002 Baltimore County Woman of the Year

2001 Johns Hopkins University Public Health Service Award

2001 Kathleen Kennedy Townsend Award of Excellence to Women in Govt. Service

2000 Essex-White Marsh Chamber of Commerce Special Recognition Award

1998 Outstanding Community Service Award, Baltimore Drifters, Inc.

1998 Fullwood Foundation Renaissance Award

1997 Public Health Leadership Institute Scholar

1997 Civil Service Award, Baltimore County Chapter, NAACP

1997 Distinguished Woman in Health, Alliance of Black Women Attys. of Maryland

1997 Glass Ceiling Award, National Coalition of 100 Black Women