Todd Ford to retire as Public Information Coordinator for Cook County, North Shore Health

Todd Ford’s last day as public information coordinator for Cook County and North Shore Health will be Oct. 31. Ford has held the role since March 2022, helping the county and hospital navigate a post-COVID landscape. The Board of Commissioners announced and accepted his retirement during its Aug. 26 meeting.

Ford described his journey to Cook County as a “long and winding road.” He began his career at advertising agencies in Chicago before moving to Las Vegas to work at the Stratosphere, now known as The Strat. He later worked for Grand Portage Lodge and Casino before joining the county.

“Well, gosh, you know, I never expected—if you’d asked me five years ago, I would tell you I had never thought I would work for a local county government or for a rural hospital, but here I am,” Ford told WTIP. “But at the end of the day, it’s not all that different. Still able to make use of writing, design, PR, video, photo, web, social media—skills and those types of things.”

While with North Shore Health, Ford oversaw official communications around COVID-19 protocols, from signage to the website to the front entrance station.

One highlight of his time with the hospital, he said, was curating its art collection, drawing on his background as an artist.

“It’s really fulfilling to see visitors stop to admire and take solace from work on the walls, from what could be a fairly stressful experience otherwise, in a hospital setting,” Ford said.

In retirement, Ford said he looks forward to creating more of his own art, whether sketching, painting, carving or writing.

“It’s kind of an inspiration to be surrounded by so many people involved, whether it’s the visual arts or writing or poetry or music—we’re just enmeshed in it,” he said.

The county has not yet named a new public information coordinator, but Ford urged his eventual successor to embrace the variety of the job and called Cook County and North Shore Health “terrific places to work.”

WTIP’s Josh Hinke spoke with Todd Ford about his life, career, and time in Cook County. The audio of that conversation can be found below.

Josh Hinke October 4, 2025