Oakland County health officer Calandra Green died in an apparent murder-suicide, according to authorities Thursday night.
Officials did not release the identity of the second person who died. The deaths are being investigated by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, said a county official who asked not to be named.
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter released a statement saying that Green was “a beloved member of our team” and that “our hearts are shattered at the news of the passing of our colleague.” Coulter said that county health clinics would be closed Friday “to allow our employees time to grieve and seek support from each other and counselors as they process this devastating news.”
Coulter appointed Green as the first woman of color to serve as Oakland County’s health officer in April 2022. She joined Oakland County as a public health nurse in August 2019. As the pandemic began in March 2020, her duties rapidly expanded, and later she was credited with organizing mental-health responses for residents of the Oxford school district following the high school shooting in November 2021.
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In the private sector, Green, then known as Calandra Anderson, worked from 2007 to 2018 for McLaren Health Care in Pontiac, where she rose from manager of patient care services to vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer. Green held a doctoral degree of education from Oakland University as well as other degrees in nursing and health services administration, according to the county’s website.
Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel said he was stunned and saddened by Green’s death.
“It’s an absolutely horrific situation. All of us here in Pontiac were proud that we had one of Pontiac’s own leading the county health department,” Greimel said.
Contact Bill Laytner: blaitner@freepress.com