SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Today, City Administrator Carmen Chu announced the appointment of forensic pathologist Dr. Christopher Liverman, M.D., Ph.D, to serve as San Francisco’s Chief Medical Examiner. He will begin on May 3, 2021.
“The Officer of the Chief Medical Examiner serves a critical function in San Francisco and I look forward to working with Dr. Liverman to advance the work of the Office,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu, whose department oversees the work of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in San Francisco. “After conducting a nationwide search for the best candidate, Dr. Liverman’s professional qualification and experience makes him the right person to serve in this important leadership role. In addition to his experience and vision, he understands how the work of his office directly impacts families and the community.”
Dr. Liverman is certified by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Neuropathology, and Forensic Pathology. He currently serves as the Assistant Medical Examiner and Staff Neuropathologist at Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office in Minneapolis, where 90 percent of death certification and reports are completed within 60 days, compared to the national standards of 90 days.
"I am excited to join the dedicated medical examiner team in San Francisco. Together, we will elevate our service to the community and strengthen our partnerships with key stakeholders,” said Dr. Liverman, who completed his residency and fellowships in pathology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). "As the Chief Medical Examiner, I have a duty to the community to ensure families can begin healing and achieve closure following the loss of loved ones.”
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is responsible for the investigation and certification of any sudden, unexpected, and violent deaths of legal or public health interest, including determining the cause, circumstances and manner of death. In 2020, the Office investigated over 1,600 cases. In addition, the Office also receives over 700 cases involving public intoxication, driving under the influence, and drug-facilitated sexual assaults for forensic toxicology testing.
In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has performed full postmortem COVID-19 testing for all decedents and informed health stakeholders of any potential surge. The Office also works closely with local agencies and partners, such as the Department of Public Health, Human Services Agency, Vision Zero SF and law enforcement partners, to track homeless decedents, accidental overdose deaths, child abuse, and traffic fatalities, which help inform policy and decision making.
“I am delighted that Dr. Liverman has been appointed as the Chief Medical Examiner for San Francisco and I am proud to have played a role in his training. He is an exceptional forensic pathologist and neuropathologist and I am confident that the San Francisco OCME will do well under his leadership,” said Dr. Heather S. Jarrell, Chief Medical Examiner and Director of Neuropathology with the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, where Dr. Liverman completed his fellowship program, one of the nation’s top program in Forensic Pathology. Dr. Jarrell is a member of National Association of Medical Examiners and
American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
Dr. Liverman graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. He earned a Doctor of Medicine and Ph.D. degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology from University of Kansas. He also currently serves as the Assistant Clinical Professor at the Department of Pathology at the University of Minnesota.