WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House announced recently that former Ohio state Sen. Janine Boyd will serve as the U.S. Health and Human Services director of Region 5, which serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Boyd, a pediatric speech and language pathologist turned advocate and state legislator. Was appointed to the position by President Joe Biden after being recommended by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

“This is an excellent choice by the Biden-Harris administration to appoint Janine Boyd to serve as the Region 5 Director for HHS,” Brown said in a news release. “Janine has committed her life to public service and, with her years of expertise and advocacy on child welfare and civil rights, she will continue her work to support vulnerable communities in Ohio and across Region 5.”

Brown’s office said that Boyd, who represented the Cleveland area, has been actively involved in Ohio’s state budget process and identifying federal opportunities on behalf of programs that serve the most vulnerable citizens.

In Ohio’s Legislature, Boyd served as Ranking Minority Member on the House Health Committee, as well as the Committee on Community and Family Advancement, among other committees. Boyd co-founded the first statewide Black Maternal Health Caucus and sits on the board of the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund.