KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman announced Wednesday the appointment of Richard “Ricky” Ferrari Traner as the new Director of the Kenosha County Division of Public Health and the county’s Health Officer.
Ferrari Traner, who began serving in the position on an interim basis earlier this week, joins the county from the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, where he spent nearly four years as Manager of the Prevention and Early Intervention Section. His appointment received unanimous approval from the County Board’s Human Services Committee last week and is set to go before the full County Board on Nov. 18 for final confirmation.
Prior to his work with the state, Ferrari Traner served as a Health Project Supervisor with the City of Milwaukee Health Department and as a Human Service Worker for the Milwaukee County Department on Aging. A veteran of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, he also served as a Director of Plans Coordination, overseeing up to 200 soldiers at the company level.
Ferrari Traner holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and a master’s in public administration from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh.
“With his broad experience on the state and local levels and his impressive credentials, I’m confident Ricky will be a highly effective leader of the county’s Public Health operations,” Kerkman said. “I am pleased to welcome him to Kenosha County.”
Ferrari Traner replaces former Health Director Lori Plahmer, who resigned earlier this year.
“As the new Kenosha County Health Officer, I bring to this role years of experience in federal, state and local prevention, logistics and organizational leadership,” Ferrari Traner said. “I look forward to collaborating with other community leaders to ensure the health and well-being of Kenosha County residents and their families.”
Kenosha County Human Services Director John Jansen also expressed support for the appointment, noting Ferrari Traner’s leadership background. “From the city and county of Milwaukee to the state and the Wisconsin National Guard, Ricky has been a leader in many arenas,” Jansen said. “I look forward to working with him on the many programs and services that Public Health provides.”
More information about Kenosha County Public Health is available at www.kenoshacountywi.gov/Health.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
16 Responses
Am interested to learn if and how Mr. Traner plans to involve Kenosha County health services with the greater HHS Dept ‘MakeAmericaHealthyAgain’ effort.
As Charlie Kirk would say, “Prove me wrong.”
Kenosha County hired a health department director who isn’t a doctor, a nurse or someone with a master’s in public health. Really?
DEI hire?
They always are….
Last health officer was a nurse with no other experience and drove the place into the ground.
Another member of the branch of Covidians?
I personally like Lamborghini
LOL!!!
So, as if it wasn’t bad enough that we have people wanting to send social workers on law enforcement calls and suggesting that we replace our law enforcement officers with social workers, we now have Kerkman assigning a social worker to run our public health department? This is honestly ridiculous!!
Kind of like RFK, a non-doctor as director of HHS. A non-doctor as head of the CDC. And the list goes on…
Being a Dr doesn’t mean much.
After all, Jill Biden is a “doctor”. 🤣
Democrats never appointed a MD to that position in history
Look it up, stupid
No one listens to the health dept. anyway after the china virus fiasco.
Why would they waste money on a worthless position like this? After the China Flu Hoax, no one trusts doctors or medicine. If people need medical advice, get a doctor or go to an urgent care….problem solved!
How far into six figures is his salary?
This ‘position’ doesn’t require any medical degree? Just being black and a national guard veteran? D…….E……I