Milwaukee County Medical Examiner Wieslawa Tlomak board approval
MILWAUKEE - Dr. Wieslawa Tlomak became Milwaukee County's second female medical examiner when the Milwaukee County Board voted Thursday, March 23 to approve her appointment.
She served as interim medical examiner since October 2022 following the retirement of Brian Peterson.
Thursday's board vote was unanimous.
A statement from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley's office notes that Dr. Tlomak has been with the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office since 2006. She began her career as an assistant medical examiner. She was promoted to deputy chief medical examiner in 2010, and late in 2022, was named the interim chief medical examiner.
Statement from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
"Our residents are in good hands when qualified leaders at all levels reflect the population they serve. Thank you to the County Board for sharing those values and voting unanimously to approve Dr. Tlomak as the next Chief Medical Examiner of Milwaukee County. As someone who understands both the challenges of immigrating to a new country and pursuing the passion of improving health through public service, Dr. Tlomak is uniquely qualified to lead the Medical Examiner’s office and aid our organizations in pursuing its stated goals."
"Dr. Tlomak’s fresh leadership couldn’t come at a better time as we move forward in partnership with the State of Wisconsin on a brand-new Center for Forensic Science and Protective Medicine. Milwaukee County is moving forward in the right direction when it comes to addressing public safety and public health."
'Despite the challenges, I stayed in Milwaukee'
Earlier in March, FOX6 News told you about how the county executive called the caseload at the medical examiner's office "unprecedented" as it operated with an interim medical examiner.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office does a lot, from body identification to death notifications, and the medical examiner is also required by law to investigate unexplained, unusual or suspicious deaths. Of course, that takes having the people to do the job.
"Despite all the challenges in the office, I stayed in Milwaukee," said Dr. Wieslawa Tlomak as she spoke before a county committee when county supervisors voted to send their confirmation recommendation of Dr. Tlomak as the county’s official medical examiner to the full board.
Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office
It’s a demanding job that’s only getting busier.
"Due to the COVID pandemic and opioid crisis, our number of cases increased drastically," said Dr. Tlomak. "Since my first day, I did everything so the office can continue to function," said Dr. Tlomak.
Dr. Tlomak said she was able to hire two new pathologists to help meet the rising demand for autopsies.
"With our case numbers, it was crucial to hire more forensic pathologists," said Dr. Tlomak, adding that they will start in summer 2023.
After Peterson's abrupt retirement in September 2022, FOX6 reported the office’s accreditation was in jeopardy from a lack of pathologists to keep up with autopsies.
"Dr. Tlomak has already secured sorely needed professional resources through her recruitment efforts to increase staff," said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. "She has really hit the ground running and keeping up with an unprecedented number of autopsies needed for the county all while maintaining the dignity and respect of the public as well as her staff."
The committee chairperson asked her what she thinks of the idea of systemic racism in the field.
"I think that there is systemic racism," said Dr. Tlomak. "I think that the most important part is to acknowledge that systemic racism exists and then address this issue. My colleagues and I, we do our best to approach all the cases without bias."
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office is the only medical examiner's office in Wisconsin that is accredited.