Patrick Dowd, Ph.D, serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Allegheny County Health Department. Previously, he served as the inaugural executive director of Allies for Children, a nonpartisan child advocacy nonprofit. Patrick has lead city and countywide referendum campaigns to provide improved access to services for children. Patrick served as a local elected official for almost a decade. On the Pittsburgh Board of Education, he helped usher in an era of robust education reform and commitment to academic excellence for all. On Pittsburgh City Council, he chaired the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, which was responsible community redevelopment legislation worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Before serving as a full-time elected official, he taught high school history. Patrick enjoys reading and hiking and lives with his family in the City of Pittsburgh.