Arrigo Appoints Dr. Nathalee Kong as Chief of Public Health and Human Services

Mayor Brian M. Arrigo today announced the appointment of Dr. Nathalee Kong as Chief of Public Health and Human Services for the City of Revere.  Dr. Kong will assume her position on August 16, 2021, and will be the second to serve in this role created under the leadership of Mayor Brian M. Arrigo during his second term in office. Dr. Kong currently serves as the chairperson for the Revere Board of Health and is a primary care physician at the MGH Revere Health Center.  Her leadership was instrumental in the City’s response and ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the Mayor’s Emergency Response Team.

“Dr. Kong worked diligently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to guide Revere through one of its most challenging times,’’ said Mayor Arrigo. “Her commitment to the health of our community, both before and after the pandemic, highlights her support and understanding of the residents of Revere, making her the most ideal candidate for the Chief of Public Health and Human Services position.”

Dr. Kong is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and completed her internal medicine residency training at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She is also a graduate of the primary care residency program at MGH. While in residency at MGH she served on the Center for Diversity and Inclusion’s Residency and Fellow Committee as the community outreach chair.  As part of her duties as a primary care physician, Dr. Kong focuses on residency education and community health and is a member of the Department of Medicine’s Community Health Council.

“I could not be more honored and excited to take on this role,” said Dr. Nathalee Kong. “The pandemic showed us that health is no longer just defined by the absence of disease. Instead, it is influenced by so many factors in one’s environment from housing stability to food insecurity. It’s a tall order, but I can’t wait to do my part to ensure the health and well-being of all residents in Revere.”

As the Chief of Health and Human Services, Dr. Kong will be responsible for directly supporting 8 departments and commissions including Elderly Services, the Department of Public Health, Community Health and Engagement, SUDI/ Homelessness, Veterans Services, Consumer Affairs, the Human Rights Commission, and the North Suffolk Public Health Collaborative. The chief position is responsible for managing over 40 full time and part time employees and managing nearly $4 million dollars annually in revenues and expenses over all HHS departments.

Dr. Kong will be the second to serve as the Chief of Health and Human Services for the City of Revere, following Kim Hanton who now serves as Mayor Arrigo’s Chief of Staff.