The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department will appoint a new health officer.
WUPHD health officer Cathryn Beer plans to retire and will end her time as the health officer for Baraga, Gogebic Houghton Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties. Beer started with the department in 1996 as the Director of Accounting and Finance. She was elevated to the role of Health Officer in 2014.
In her place the Western Upper Peninsula health department board of directors will appoint Peter Baril as Health Officer for the Western Upper Peninsula health department. Baril currently serves the health department as deputy health officer and director of environmental health. He has spent 23 years working in public health and gained experience working across Michigan and for Michigan Technological University.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Lake Superior State University and his master’s degree in public administration from Northern Michigan University. Baril also holds a graduate certificate in public health from the University of Iowa. He will officially take on the health officer position on October 25th.
