Cambridge’s chief public health officer, Derrick Neal, wasn’t the only high-ranking official to leave the Cambridge Public Health Department in the spring without an announcement or explanation. The second-in-command, deputy chief public health officer Deborah Ngozi Odunze, also departed. At the time of Neal’s departure, it was unclear why the department replaced him with Tracy Rose-Tynes, who was brought out of retirement, rather than Odunze.
Neal started in November 2021. Odunze’s position was created for her in August 2022. Now the Cambridge Health Alliance, which operates the health department, is deciding whether to keep the position and replace Odunze, spokesperson David Cecere said. CHA is “actively recruiting” to replace Neal, Cecere said.
About six months ago, Odunze apparently named herself to another position created for her – this time one that she created herself. She announced in a LinkedIn post that she was assuming the position of “associate chief nursing officer” in addition to her deputy chief job. “In this expanded role, I’ll continue leading public health strategy while also overseeing public health nursing, the TB clinic, school health, oral health, vaccination programs, and new community health initiatives,” the post said.
Cecere said the position of associate chief nursing officer did not exist before Odunze made the announcement. He said CHA is also considering whether to keep that job and fill it.
Neal could not be located. Odunze didn’t respond to multiple calls.
Summer nursing internship program affected
When Odunze left, a summer internship program she had arranged was scrapped because the health department didn’t have the capacity to handle it, said Dawn Baxter, public health department spokeswoman. Asked whether other department staff had known in advance of the plans for the program, Baxter said in an email: “Staff at CPHD were not aware of the proposed summer internship program; we are unsure how the Deputy had intended to manage that initiative. The lack of capacity is in part the timing of the program, as our school nurses operate on the Cambridge Public Schools schedule and are not in session over the summer.”
Fourteen nursing students at Northeastern University would have been mentored by health department nurses if the program had gone forward. A spokeswoman for Northeastern’s Bouve College of Health Sciences, which houses the nursing school, promised to try to provide details about what the nursing school knew about the internships or about impacts of the cancellation but did not respond before publication.
While Odunze was working at the health department, she pursued a doctor of nursing practice degree at Regis College, which confirmed she had received the degree on May 11, 2024. She also ran an African spice store with outlets at the CambridgeSide and Chestnut Hill malls.
Both Neal and Odunze had ties to Texas. Neal worked for three county public health systems in the state and for the city of Houston. Odunze graduated from nursing school at the University of Texas.
As deputy chief, she was responsible for “overall financial management,” human resources “functions” and “performance management processes,” the press release announcing her appointment said. Her starting salary was $205,000 and she was earning $243,197 when she left, Cecere said.
Neal’s starting salary was $240,011 and $286,874 most recently, according to a response to a public records request. He did not have a contract. Alliance chief executive Assaad Sayah communicated with Neal about his employment this year; CHA refused to disclose what Sayah said, saying it falls under an exemption to the state public records law for personnel matters. His removal was initially reported by the Cambridge Somerville Independent.
Asked about the impact Odunze’s outside activities and decision to appoint herself to a second position or arrange an stealth internship program affected morale and operations, Cecere said “We do not comment on personnel matters.”
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