Kalyanaraman becomes latest to leave Maryland Department of Health

by Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters
June 2, 2025

The deputy secretary of public health services is leaving the Maryland Department of Health this week after two years serving under the Moore Administration and more than a decade in both private and public health services in Maryland, state officials confirmed Monday.

Tuesday will be Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman’s last day with the department.

“We thank Dr. Kalyanaraman for raising his hand to serve the people of Maryland — especially through the COVID pandemic — as a dedicated champion for public health,” according to a spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore.

His departure is the latest in a string that began in February, when then-Secretary Laura Herrera Scott left amid several controversies at the department, including oversight issues at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, a high-security hospital that has been riddled with complaints of patient abuse and violence.

Secretary Meena Seshamani, a former top official with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, took the reins of the department in April.

Just last week, Erin McMullen left her position as the department’s chief of staff, a position she’s held since 2023. McMullen also worked in the department in various positions from 2013 through 2017. Chase Cook also left his job last week as the department’s director of communications, following several years in the position.

Former CMS administrator takes helm of controversy-laden health department

As the deputy secretary of public health services, Kalyanaraman has spoken on a wide variety of health and safety issues throughout the years — from heat illnesses and dental health workforce to bird flu threat levels and more.

Before working with the Moore administration, Kalyanaraman served as the health officer for Anne Arundel County from September 2019 through March 2023, leading the county through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He was a really, really good resource for the issues that we dealt with during COVID,” said Sen. Pam Beidle (D-Anne Arundel), chair of the Senate Finance Committee. “He was always willing to do a webinar with us and our constituents. I think he did a really good job guiding our county through COVID.”

Before his time in local government, Kalyanaraman served from 2012 to 2019 as the chief health officer for Baltimore-based Health Care for the Homeless, a nonprofit that provides health care and housing support to 10,000 people in the region annually.

He leaves a health department that’s trying to pull itself out of a series of controversies and challenges. During the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers grilled Kalyanaraman for answers about one of those controversies — a significant backlog of nursing home annual inspections.

Kalyanaraman argued that the department had been making progress on the backlog of state inspections, but lawmakers remain concerned that some facilities had not received annual inspections for over four years, putting vulnerable senior citizens at risk of inadequate care.

Kalyanaraman declined Monday to comment on his departure.

Neither McMullen nor Cook responded to a request for comment. But McMullen said in a social media post about her departure from the health department that she was “filled with immense gratitude for the privilege of serving alongside such dedicated public servants.”

“The experience has been invaluable, and I am forever thankful for the opportunity to contribute to the health and well-being of Marylanders alongside some of the best people you will ever meet,” she said.

This story was updated on Tuesday, June 3, to correct the spelling of Erin McMullen’s name.

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