New Jersey's Health commissioner Judy persicelli came to be known during the pandemic as the woman who needs no introduction and soon she won't need one person Kelly will retire from her position later this Summer She quickly became the face of New Jersey's response to the covid-19 virus thrust into the spotlight during Governor Murphy's daily briefings while the state was the epicenter of the pandemic now she's saying goodbye to the post she held for four years and her lifetime of service to the Health Care industry commissioner persa Kelly joins me now Health commissioner Judy percicelli first I just want to ask why now uh you were in the midst of a global Health pandemic that you helped lead New Jersey through why step down now that the storm has calmed well I think it's time um the storm has calmed and that's the good news and I will be celebrating my um fourth year anniversary on August 4th and as you might know I've retired a couple of times I'm apparently not very good at it and this time I think it's it'll stick I'm convinced that the department is in very good shape to go forward to handle all of the issues that are in front of us and any new issues that might come up yeah I mean of course you're referencing you were tapped to lead University Hospital although you had at least said that you were going to retire before that but you've also really worked your way up through the Health Care System how do you think that shaped you to be able to take on this role of course not knowing what was ahead of you I have to say every experience that I have had starting as an intensive care nurse all the way through system leadership I think prepared me to be here there was uh you know the ability to manage large groups of people the ability to move quickly when there were issues particularly when you're a nurse in intensive care the ability to really know the hospital system and what and kind of predict what could happen and how difficult it could be I think just uh just you know everything I've learned over the years came into play you know it's interesting because certainly the public really came to know you during the pandemic there were those daily briefings where you were right by the governor he would introduce you as the woman who needs no introduction but you had a whole lifetime of service in this career prior to that do you expect your legacy to be with the covid-19 pandemic or what would you like it to be you know if every job that I've ever had I've left thinking that things are better than when I got to to a particular spot and I I would hope that no matter what I have left some type of Legacy behind but I have to say this it was you know prepared for a pandemic once in a century pandemic and trying to look at the Lessons Learned I think this will be a the lasting Legacy because uh the department is a much stronger more resilient data driven uh organization as a result of the pandemic and everything uh that we've put in place together uh makes it uh more robust and ready to handle just about anything what stays with you commissioner about serving in this capacity during that time I think um the individuals that were I'd like to say in the Foxhole with me the individuals that were in the Foxhole uh working 7 A.M to midnight uh seven days a week putting up field medical stations we had never done that before um large-scale testing sites you may recall them we had never done that before uh engaging over 3 000 community-based organizations and churches and local Health departments and fqhcs to set up vaccine sites uh that had never happened before and uh you know immunizing uh providing vaccines to over 20 million individuals um every little bit of that will stick with me we were in a war with an invisible enemy and we've prevailed is there anyone you're going to recommend as a potential successor I have lots of people that I will recommend and um I've had discussions with the governor and I know he will make the best choice nothing that that you'll share with us today I'm guessing it's it's definitely his appointment yeah certainly what does a retired Health commissioner who led a state through a global pandemic do once they have down time first enjoy the downtime that's the first thing the second thing is I I will always kind of keep my hand in health care I've been in it since I was probably 17 I started nursing school at 17. so uh Healthcare it's you know it's in my DNA I will work to make it better stronger more Equitable uh in any way that I can and I'll certainly help with the leadership transition here Health commissioner Judy person Kelly thank you so much and good luck on your retirement thank you so much