Maria Sarabia

Maria Sarabia was appointed assistant commissioner of the department’s Health Improvement Bureau in July 2023, by Commissioner Brooke Cunningham. She oversees the department’s Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Division, Community Health Division, and the Child and Family Health Division.

Professional background

Prior to her appointment as assistant commissioner, Sarabia served as the social services director of Aging and Disability Services at Ramsey County where she incorporated participatory methods to improve operations and increase access to home and community-based services for adults, children, and elders. She also served in strategic leadership and organizational development roles in the Public Health and Human Resources departments, and the county’s Office of Policy and Planning to create countywide health and racial equity infrastructure.

Sarabia also served at the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and she oversaw the Health Care Eligibility Policy Team at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. She was appointed to the Minneapolis Health Department as a Fellow from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sarabia began her public service career in Chicago’s not-for-profit sector within community-based organizations in the areas of social justice, family preservation, community-based wraparound services, young women’s empowerment, and social entrepreneurship.

Educational background

Sarabia holds an undergraduate degree from Northeastern Illinois University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Services Administration.