Oneida County appoints new director of health

UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr. on Monday announced the appointment of Daniel Gilmore as the county’s new director of health.

He succeeds Phyllis Ellis, who is retiring on Wednesday after seven years of serving in the same role. Before his new appointment, Gilmore was the Oneida County director of environmental health for more than 13 years.

“Dan Gilmore has been a valuable member of our health department … and he will do a tremendous job leading it through these tumultuous times,” Picente contnded in a release. “His expertise, knowledge and experience will provide for a smooth leadership transition and continued steady response to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”

Gilmore has been the director of environmental health for Oneida County since July 2007 and currently represents the county on the executive committee of the New York State Conference of Environmental Health Directors.

Prior to working for Oneida County, Gilmore had a 25-year career in the field of forestry and natural resources, where he worked as a timber harvester, sawmill hand, seasonal employee of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, industrial forester, graduate student, and university assistant professor and researcher.