El Paso names new health department director in the midst of the pandemic

EL PASO, Texas – The interim director of the El Paso Public Health Department will now shed the "interim" from her title.

Angela Mora was named the new permanent director on Thursday by the City of El Paso. Officials said she assumes that role immediately in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the gravity of which Mora quickly acknowledged.

“These are trying times, but together we can tackle the challenges," she said.

City Manager Tommy Gonzalez said being a Borderland native with 30 years experience made Mora the best choice among the roughly three-dozen candidates who applied for the job as part of a national search effort.

Mora succeeds Robert Resendes, who retired in May after serving as the city's director of health since 2013.

Community health leaders praised Mora's selection as his replacement.

“Over the 13 years that I've known Angela, she has worked to build strong partnerships and has been a forward thinking advocate for El Paso's public health programs," said Jacob Cintron, the president and CEO of University Medical Center of El Paso.

Mora has worked at the health department since 2008, when she came onboard as a deputy director of the agency.