Gov.-elect Edwards Picks LSU Professor as State Health Chief

BATON ROUGE, La. ― An LSU public health professor is Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards’ choice to lead Louisiana’s health department, the largest agency in state government.

Dr. Rebekah Gee was named Tuesday as Edwards’ secretary for the Department of Health and Hospitals.

In that role, she’ll oversee a $9.7 billion agency that accounts for more than one-third of the state’s budget. She’ll also be the figurehead for Edwards’ plan to expand Louisiana’s Medicaid program as allowed under the federal health care law.

Gee is an assistant professor at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. She is also the Medicaid medical director for the state.