Kareem Murphy Leads Hennepin County’s Health and Human Services Strategy
Kareem Murphy, Deputy County Administrator for Hennepin County, oversees health and human services with a prevention-focused strategy aimed at reducing disparities and strengthening community stability.
Kareem Murphy did not begin his career in Minnesota. Born and raised in Connecticut to parents who migrated north from the Carolinas, his story mirrors that of many Black families who moved in search of opportunity. Today, as Deputy County Administrator for Hennepin County, Murphy helps shape policy and services for more than 1.2 million residents, including the North Minneapolis neighborhood he calls home.
Murphy oversees a broad portfolio that includes health, human services and the county’s Disparity Elimination line of business — an innovation-focused division that grew out of the pandemic. Under his leadership are departments responsible for public health, housing stability, behavioral health, education support services and contracting. More than 9,000 county employees ultimately report through the administrative structure he helps manage.
His days are rarely predictable.
When tragedy struck at a Minneapolis school earlier this year, Murphy coordinated behavioral health crisis response efforts, aligning county systems with city partners and law enforcement. It was a reminder that while policy may be written in boardrooms, its impact unfolds in real time.
“We’re the social safety net,” Murphy said. “We’re there when things get out of control, but we’re also trying to prevent that.”
Prevention defines his leadership.
Before joining county administration, Murphy spent more than a decade in Washington, D.C., working in government affairs and lobbying. A graduate of Howard University and trained historian, he built a career navigating federal systems. But before relocating to Minnesota, he made a decision: he wanted to move from influencing policy on the outside to shaping it from within.
When his husband was called to pastor a Minneapolis congregation in 2013, the move aligned with Murphy’s ambition. He joined Hennepin County as a health and human services lobbyist, later becoming Intergovernmental Relations Director. From there, he advanced into county administration and, most recently, deputy county administrator as part of a broader leadership restructuring.
Murphy describes his rise as cultivated, not accidental.
“Hennepin is good at identifying talent,” he said. “And when we’re aligned, they make the choice.”
He says recent years have brought a noticeable shift. Under a county board committed to equity and representation, leadership more closely reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.
“It’s easy to stack leadership with the same resumes,” he said. “It takes courage to look at the talent sitting right in front of you and promote it.”
Murphy and his husband intentionally chose to live in North Minneapolis. In just a few hours of house hunting, they saw past narratives of disinvestment and recognized vibrancy and community. They purchased near North Commons Park, becoming one of the last Black families to buy on their block before gentrification reshaped the area.
For Murphy, the work is personal.
He has watched county social workers arrive on his own block to intervene in family crises. He has also watched the county increase investments in preventative services aimed at reducing those crises before they escalate.
“Most of what destabilizes families is poverty,” he said. “If we intervene early, you don’t need an army responding at the worst moment.”
That philosophy reflects a broader transformation in how the county approaches its mission. Rather than reacting solely to emergencies: child protection cases, emergency room visits, housing crises, Murphy advocates for upstream investments. Strengthening community clinics like NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, expanding broadband access and stabilizing students whose families intersect with the justice system are strategies he believes reduce long-term harm.
It is a holistic model: address issues early instead of managing avoidable crises later. Stabilize a student in January so intervention is unnecessary by December. Support families before removal becomes the only option.
Murphy sees this approach as fiscally responsible and morally grounded.
For Black History Month, the theme “Rising in Power” resonates with him. His ascent into executive leadership represents more than a title; it reflects a shift in who shapes public systems. Still, he resists framing success as individual triumph.
“The onus is on me,” he said. “Adults are supposed to create opportunities. We’re supposed to reach back.”
Murphy makes himself available for interviews and mentorship because he knows careers in government are often invisible to young people, especially those from neighborhoods like the one he calls home.
His career spans decades and states, but the throughline remains consistent: public service rooted in community. From Washington lobbying rooms to North Minneapolis sidewalks, Murphy’s work reflects a belief that systems can be both powerful and compassionate.
His goal is not simply to rise, but to ensure others rise with him.