CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) — Julie Pryde, the first female administrator of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, is retiring after nearly 20 years leading the agency.
Pryde’s career with the health district began in 1989 as a social work intern. She joined the staff in 1995 as a program consultant in the social services division and later served as project director for the Illinois Region 6 HIV Prevention Implementation Group. In 2001, she became director of the division of HIV, STD and tuberculosis prevention and management, which later expanded into the division of infectious disease prevention and management.
The board of health appointed Pryde as acting administrator in May 2007, and she was named permanent administrator in November 2008. During her tenure, the district expanded its role in infectious disease response and community health planning.
The health district’s board is expected to vote Wednesday on appointing Deputy Administrator Dr. Mamadou Tounkara as Pryde’s successor following a closed session. If approved, Tounkara’s anticipated start date is Feb. 2, with his salary to be set by the board.
Tounkara joined the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District in June 2025. Originally from Mali, he has practiced medicine in the United States for 12 years and holds master’s degrees in social work and public health, along with a medical degree.
Since joining the district, Tounkara has focused on population health initiatives, including efforts to address homelessness as a public health issue. He also played a role in establishing a joint winter emergency shelter with Cunningham Township at the Armory.
Prior to his role in Champaign-Urbana, Tounkara served as director of population health and data analytics for the Tooele County Health Department in Utah. His previous experience includes serving as a senior epidemiologist, a COVID-19 epidemiologist for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, a research fellow and global surgery scholar at the University of Utah, and an adjunct professor at Westminster University.
Health district leaders have indicated that Tounkara’s background aligns with the evolving focus of public health on prevention, education and collaboration with community partners. The board’s expected action this week would mark a new chapter for the agency following Pryde’s long tenure.
