Oral history interview with Mark Levine
Title
Oral history interview with Mark Levine
Description
Dr. Mark Levine discusses his experiences and actions as Vermont's top public health official and part of the state's COVID-19 leadership team during the COVID-19 pandemic. He describes regularly collaborating with state officials and agencies on the response to the virus. He was a consistent presence at the state's press conferences, communicating to Vermonters about the status of the virus and the best strategies for dealing with it. He recalls the closing of schools and how he and other officials made and communicated that decision as a particularly vivid memory from these press conferences. He reflects on how his medical training prepared him for the long hours, stress, and judgment calls that he faced as a public health official during the pandemic.
Dr. Levine also speaks about personal and professional connections outside of the state, including comparing news from his children in Washington state and Tennessee with the situation in Vermont. At the beginning of the pandemic, Dr. Levine and his wife traveled to Tennessee to meet their new granddaughter and take a vacation. However, they turned around and came back to Vermont almost immediately due to how swiftly the virus started spreading, returning to the state just days before the lockdown.
Dr. Mark A. Levine of Shelburne, Vermont, was the health commissioner for the state of Vermont during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was appointed commissioner in March 2017 and served in the role until his retirement in March 2025. Prior to joining the Vermont Department of Health, he had an internal medical practice and served as associate dean for graduate medical education at the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine.
Sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services MA-251676-OMS-22.
Dr. Levine also speaks about personal and professional connections outside of the state, including comparing news from his children in Washington state and Tennessee with the situation in Vermont. At the beginning of the pandemic, Dr. Levine and his wife traveled to Tennessee to meet their new granddaughter and take a vacation. However, they turned around and came back to Vermont almost immediately due to how swiftly the virus started spreading, returning to the state just days before the lockdown.
Dr. Mark A. Levine of Shelburne, Vermont, was the health commissioner for the state of Vermont during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was appointed commissioner in March 2017 and served in the role until his retirement in March 2025. Prior to joining the Vermont Department of Health, he had an internal medical practice and served as associate dean for graduate medical education at the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine.
Sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services MA-251676-OMS-22.
Date
2023-05-10
Subject
Source
Collecting COVID-19: A Vermont Story Project
Identifier
AudioFileCOVID-036
Format
MP3
WAV
Type
Audio file
Rights
Permission to publish material from the Collecting COVID-19: A Vermont Story Project may be obtained from the Vermont Historical Society.
Interviewer
Gustin, Amanda Kay
Interviewee
Levine, Mark A.
Duration
1 hr., 2 min., 5 sec.
Repository
Vermont Historical Society Library, 60 Washington Street, Barre, VT 05641-4215
Collection
Citation
“Oral history interview with Mark Levine,” Digital Vermont: A Project of the Vermont Historical Society, accessed April 2, 2025, https://digitalvermont.org/vtcovid/AudioFileCOVID-036.