ONS member Janice Phillips, PhD, RN, CENP, FAAN, took the reins as the Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDHP’s) latest assistant director in July 2023. Her new role positions Phillips, a longtime ONS advocate, to eliminate health disparities and inequities by establishing and strengthening collaboration between IDPH and community partners across the state.
“I am honored to serve in this capacity and work alongside IDPH staff and communities who share a passion for achieving health equity throughout our state,” Phillips said. “I consider it a gift to be able to use my experience and expertise for the betterment of Illinoisians.
Phillips’s professional background includes roles as a clinician, researcher, educator, nurse regulator, author, and public policy advocate. As a public health advocate, Philips served as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow in the U.S. Senate, where she focused on implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and worked with U.S. House and Senate staff in support of the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2011.
Her advocacy work with ONS includes multiple op-eds and presentations on topics from socioeconomic disparities to nursing workforce funding and social determinants of health, even challenging 2019 U.S. presidential candidates to step up their plans to promote healthcare equity. Phillips is actively involved with the Chicago ONS Chapter, and her experience, expertise, and empathy will help implement essential public health protocols across Illinois.