Dr. Matilde Castiel Named Worcester’s Commissioner of Health and Human Services

Dr. Matilde “Mattie” Castiel has been named as Worcester's new Commissioner of Health and Human Services, effective September 28.

On Monday, City Manager Ed Augustus made the announcement on Castiel's appointment and praised Castiel's leadership in the fight against drug addiction and homelessness. 

“When we decided to reconstitute the Department of Health and Human Services, we wanted it to tackle the most pressing social issues facing the city of Worcester,” Augustus said. “Whether as an administrator or a physician, Mattie Castiel has been at the forefront of the community battle against homelessness and drug addiction, and I am thrilled to have her on our team.”

Dr. Castiel was the founder, Executive Director and Medical Director of Latin American Health Alliance, and the founder of the Hector Reyes House and Casa Reyes. In 2014, Dr. Castiel opened Café Reyes on Shrewsbury Street. Café Reyes serves as an innovative jobs training program in which residents at Hector Reyes House and Casa Reyes participate in running the restaurant.

A Cuban immigrant who speaks fluent Spanish, Dr. Castiel is board-certified in internal medicine, and has been Medical Director to a large municipal EMS system, an ER attending physician, primary care physician, urgent care physician, and physician to an elderly outreach program. She earned her MD from the University of California-San Francisco and a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Cal State-Northridge. 

“Filling this new position is a critical step to coordinate the efforts of these vital divisions, and Dr. Castiel is the right leader to advance the important initiatives that fall under their scope, including reducing youth violence and tackling the current opioid crisis,” Augustus said.