Tiverton School Committee chairman is McKee’s pick for permanent state health director

Dr. Jerome M. Larkin, an infectious disease physician, is Gov. Dan McKee's nominee to be the next permanent director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. He is also the medical director of Inpatient Infectious Diseases Consultation Services at Rhode Island Hospital. (Courtesy of Lifespan Corporation)

After two years of interim leadership, the Rhode Island Department of Health may soon have a permanent director. Gov. Dan McKee Friday morning announced the nomination of Dr. Jerome M. Larkin to head the agency.

Larkin, who has over 30 years of experience in health care, serves as the medical director of inpatient infectious diseases consultation services at Rhode Island Hospital, part of Lifespan Corporation, and is a professor of clinical medicine at Brown University. He is also the chairman of Tiverton School Committee. 

Larkin was first elected to the Tiverton School Committee in 2012 and has been its chairman for seven years. He was paid $1,200 for his role on the elected school committee in 2023, according to a financial statement filed with the Rhode Island Ethics Commission.

“Dr. Larkin is a proven leader in the medical field and his experience will be a vital asset to our team and to the people of Rhode Island,” McKee said in a statement. “Improving health outcomes for all Rhode Islanders is a top priority for our administration and I’m confident that Dr. Larkin will help us reach that goal.”

Larkin declined an interview when reached Friday.

Tiverton School Committee member Michael DeCotis described Larkin as intelligent, thoughtful, and respectful.

“He is a great advocate for public health,” DeCotis said in an interview Friday afternoon. “I am very happy he’ll be representing Rhode Island if this is something confirmed by the Senate — the governor made a great choice.”

DeCotis, who was elected to the School Committee in 2020, said Larkin has been a wealth of knowledge in helping him learn the ins and outs of public service.

“He’s always open to a phone call and willing to take the time to catch people up, as busy as he is,” he said. “Doctors listen to problems and try to solve them, right?” 

Deborah Pallasch, who has served on the Tiverton School Committee since 2010, said Larkin’s presence on the board was of great help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He was especially helpful guiding us through safety protocols and letting us all know what was going on,” Pallasch told Rhode Island Current. “Having an infectious disease expert really carried our committee.” 

She added that Larkin is well-known in Tiverton for trying to prioritize student issues during committee meetings.

“It was a real privilege having served with him — the state’s getting a real humble public servant,” Pallasch said.

Why so many interim leaders?

The state’s last permanent health director, Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, stepped down in January 2022. Since then, the department has seen three interim leaders.

Dr. Jim McDonald held the post for five months before he left Rhode Island in July 2022, citing family health problems. He has since become the health commissioner for the state of New York.

McDonald was succeeded by Dr. Utpala Bandy, an infectious disease epidemiologist. After Bandy retired on March 31, McKee then tapped Dr. Staci Fischer to be acting director for the Department of Health.

Health officials and advocates blamed the high turnover on the $175,000 yearly salary for the position, which they say is uncompetitive relative to private employers and other states.

McKee has proposed raising the base pay to $250,000 a year, which took effect April 29, since  the General Assembly did not exercise its power to object, House Spokesperson Larry Berman said Friday.

Larkin’s nomination now heads to the Rhode Island Senate for consideration, but a vote has not been scheduled as of Friday, according to Senate spokesperson Greg Pare.

McKee’s office did not release Larkin’s resume. Larkin graduated with a bachelor’s degree at Boston College in 1984 and received his medical degree from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 1993, according to his Brown University online biography. His research interests have included ticks, tick-related illnesses and Lyme disease in children and pregnant women.

Senior Reporter Nancy K. Lavin contributed to this story.

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