Meet our Speaker
Michael Mendoza, MD, MPH, MS, FAAFP
Dr. Michael Mendoza is the 9th Commissioner of Public Health for Monroe County. He is also appointed as Associate Professor at the University of Rochester in the Departments of Family Medicine, Public Health Sciences, and Nursing.
As Commissioner of Public Health, Dr. Mendoza’s goal is to improve population health by strengthening the collaboration between clinical medicine and public health in our community. He has a particular focus in leveraging science and best practice to address the disparities in health and health care here in Monroe County.
Dr. Mendoza joined the Health Department in 2016. In this role Dr. Mendoza oversees the health department’s $61 million dollar budget and over 250 employees and contractors whose responsibilities span a diverse array of services designed to protect public health in Monroe County.
Prior to 2016, Dr. Mendoza served as Medical Director for Highland Family Medicine. During his seven years in this role, Dr. Mendoza oversaw the adoption of the Epic EMR, Meaningful Use, certification as a Level 3 Patient Centered Medical Home, and helped to lay the foundation for expanded team-based care, the current expansion of HFM, and the newly certified Nurse Practitioner residency program.
Board certified in family medicine, Dr. Mendoza continues to see patients as a primary care physician at Highland Family Medicine, and he continues to serve as a teaching physician on the inpatient service at Highland Hospital.
He received his MD and undergraduate degrees from the University of Chicago, his Master’s in Public Health from the University of Illinois, and his Master’s in Business Administration from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester. He completed his graduate medical training at the University of California-San Francisco, and served an additional year as Chief Resident at the San Francisco General Hospital.
He is an active member of the community, serving on the Boards of Directors of Willow Domestic Violence of Rochester, Common Ground Health, and the Rochester RHIO.
In his spare time, Dr. Mendoza enjoys spending time with his wife, two children, and their two goldendoodles. His hobbies include running, cycling, and cooking.