Madiha Tariq will lead the Health and Human Services and Public Services departments as a deputy county executive for Oakland County.
She will oversee two of the biggest departments in Oakland County with more than 1,000 employees. Tariq will be the first Muslim appointed as a deputy county executive in Oakland County.
The two departments administer a vast array of public health programs as well as Children’s Village, the Medical Examiner’s office, Community Corrections, the Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center, Neighborhood and Housing Development, and Circuit Court Probation.
“Madiha has impressive experience in public health and a particular focus on the factors in the community that impact health,” says Dave Coulter, Oakland County executive. “She truly understands the connections between public health and societal factors and will be a great addition to my leadership team.”
At ACCESS Community Health and Research Center, Tariq has been at the forefront of the health issues and rights of underserved ethnic communities in southeast Michigan She also is a member of the faculty, teaching public health classes at Wayne State University.
“In order to have effective public health, you have to be able to address things that aren’t strictly health-related,” says Tariq. “To be working with housing, Children’s Village, the criminal justice system, or food insecurity issues, all of that is part of the fabric of our health. You can’t expect someone to manage their diabetes if they don’t have a roof to sleep under or easy access to healthy food. A person who is secure in their health and housing is less at risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system.”
