Ehresmann regularly spoke to the media and the public through briefings broadcast on the internet, usually accompanied by Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm.
"Kris Ehresmann has played a huge role in public health not only in Minnesota but nationally," Malcolm said.She has helped guide Minnesota through many difficult public health challenges, and along the way she cultivated a new generation of talented public health leaders within MDH and across the state.".
Public health leaders said that even with Ehresmann's retirement, MDH has a deep bench of expertise and experience to continue its work in disease monitoring, prevention and education."The public has benefited from the stability, confidence and wisdom that Kris has brought to her role," said Craig Hedberg, a public health professor at the University of Minnesota.Olaf College, and a master's of public health in epidemiology from the University of Minnesota.
Emily Emerson, the assistant director of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division, will become interim director while MDH conducts a national search for Ehresmann's replacement.