Dr. Ralph Alvarado

Kentucky State Sen. Dr. Ralph Alvarado has been appointed as Tennessee's new Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner beginning Jan. 16, 2023.

 Kentucky General Assembly

Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee has appointed sitting Kentucky State Sen. Dr. Ralph Alvarado as commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health beginning Jan. 16, 2023, following the resignation of TDH Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey who led the department throughout the heights of the ongoing pandemic.

Piercey announced her resignation in April, and in June, Dr. Morgan McDonald was named Interim Health Commissioner.

“It’s an honor to join Governor Lee’s team to advance health and prosperity for every Tennessean,” said Alvarado. “I appreciate this opportunity and look forward to serving individuals and families across the Volunteer State.”

Alvarado is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Kentucky-based Alvarado Medical Services, PLLC, a healthcare organization serving Kentucky communities, and has a background in both medicine and hospital management.

Alvarado has served in the Kentucky State Senate since 2015, and has served as the Chairman of Kentucky’s Senate Health and Welfare Committee since 2019.

Alvarado is also Co-Chairman of the National Coalition of Physician Legislators and is a member of Kentucky Right to Life.

He previously served as the running mate for former Governor of Kentucky Matt Bevin’s failed 2019 reelection bid, and according to reporting by the Louisville Courier Journal, earlier this year, Alvarado expressed interest in running in the 2023 Kentucky governor’s race.

“It’s an honor to join Governor Lee’s team to advance health and prosperity for every Tennessean,” Alvarado said. “I appreciate this opportunity and look forward to serving individuals and families across the Volunteer State.”

Alvarado’s appointment was criticized by Tennessee's former top vaccine official, Dr. Michelle Fiscus, who was fired in 2021 following the outrage of some Republican elected officials who disagreed with outreach attempts to teens with information about COVID-19 vaccinations.

“Well, it looks like @GovBillLee [Gov. Bill Lee] replaced a health commissioner w[ith] no public health experience with a politician who wanted to be governor of KY and has no public health experience. Bad to worse. Hang on, folks. He just won re-election to the KY senate Nov 2,” Fiscus Tweeted on Nov. 22.