The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) launched the city’s first Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control. The new office will streamline current efforts and identify new opportunities to help prevent and improve management of chronic conditions and diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, respiratory disease and obesity, as these are among the most common, costly and preventable. These efforts include promoting healthy behaviors like eating healthy foods and getting regular physical activity; increasing breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening; and improving asthma and diabetes self-management. Kate McMahon will lead this effort as CDPH’s first Director for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control. “By establishing this new office, we can both better coordinate our current efforts to combat chronic disease, and identify new, innovative ways to help our residents get and stay healthy,” said CDPH Commissioner Julie Morita, M.D. “I am confident that Kate will help CDPH make meaningful changes to improve health outcomes and advance health equity for all Chicagoans.” McMahon brings nearly a decade of experience in designing and implementing public health initiatives to CDPH. Most recently, McMahon served as the Senior Director of Programs and Policy for Respiratory Health Association, overseeing tobacco control initiatives and other activities to improve chronic disease management. “I am excited to step into this new role and lead our chronic disease prevention efforts,” said McMahon. “At its core, chronic disease prevention and control is about helping people live longer, healthier lives. Public health can be especially impactful when we change policy, systems and the environment to improve health.”