Newsmakers webcast: Khaldun, Lassiter look back at tumultuous 2020 Crain's Detroit Business Print Two leaders who have spent nearly a year at the center of the battle against the coronavirus reacted the only way they could to the pandemic: by moving fast and staying flexible. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the chief medical officer of the Michigan Department of Health and Human services, spoke with Crain's Executive Editor Kelley Root as part of a webcast series of interviews of Crain's top Newsmakers of 2020 presented on Tuesday. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Khaldun have been criticized for not setting specific benchmarks for reopening the economy, but Khaldun said that hasn't been possible.