Judith Persichilli
Public health leader and medical professional
New Jersey’s first nurse health commissioner, Judith Persichilli guided the state through the toughest health crisis in modern history
Appointed Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health in August 2019 and confirmed in January 2020, Judith Persichilli is the first trained nurse to serve in that role—and has done so during the most challenging era in the department’s history. She skillfully oversaw the state’s response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the complexities of vaccine and booster rollouts, amid an increasingly fraught and divided political atmosphere.
Previous chapters in Commissioner Persichilli’s career include graduating from the Rutgers College of Nursing, Newark, working her way up the ranks to serve as CEO of St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, and landing other key management positions such as CEO of Catholic Health East, a national healthcare system, and Acting CEO of University Hospital in Newark. Her achievements in nursing, hospital administration, and public health are an inspiration to the Rutgers community, especially emerging health professionals.