Dr. Poonam Alaigh was sworn in as Health and Senior Services Commissioner today by Governor Chris Christie.  The ceremony took place in the Governor’s Outer Office in Trenton with the Commissioner’s family in attendance.

            “It is truly an honor to be asked to serve the residents of New Jersey,” Commissioner Alaigh said.  “Under the Governor’s leadership, I’m committed to building a more efficient, high-quality health care system while also protecting our most vulnerable populations – the uninsured and our seniors.”

            Dr. Alaigh was serving as executive medical director for Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield when Governor Christie nominated her to lead the Department of Health and Senior Services.  She comes to her role with a wide-ranging background in health care administration, clinical practice, pharmaceutical medicine, health care policy and academia.

            She was national medical director for GlaxoSmithKline before joining Horizon.  She has also worked at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Lyons, and has served as assistant professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick.

            Dr. Alaigh is a founding member of the South Asian Total Healthcare Initiative, which was created to develop a research-based data resource on South Asian health, and to improve the delivery of culturally competent care and address health disparities.

A board certified internist with a specialty in vascular disease, she is certified as a Diplomate in Internal Medicine.  She earned her medical degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, as well as her Master of Science in Healthcare Policy and Management.  She is certified as a Black Belt in Six Sigma.

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