#United States #Washington #Public Health #Board of Directors #NACCHO

NACCHO Announces Newly Elected Leadership for 2026-2027 Board

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) has declared the election results for its Board of Directors for the term 2026-2027. Starting July 1, 2026, a group of dedicated public health leaders will take on crucial roles that will guide the organization and influence public health policy nationwide.

Newly Appointed Board Officers

The newly appointed officers of the NACCHO Board of Directors are:

- Patrick McGough, DNP, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Public Health Officer of the Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County Health Department, has been appointed as the President.
- Bisola Ojikutu, MD, MPH, FIDSA, Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission, will serve as President-Elect.
- Renae Moch, MBA, FACMPE, Public Health Director at Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health in North Dakota, steps into the role of Vice President.
- Damōn Chaplin, MBA, Health Commissioner for the City of Minneapolis Health Department, will be serving as Immediate Past President.

Regional Directors to Promote Health

In addition to the new leadership, NACCHO's Board also welcomes Regional Directors who represent various geographical areas:

- Deanna D'Amore, MPH from Norwalk Health Department, CT (Region 1)
- Paul Pettit, MSL, CPH from Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments, NY (Region 2)
- Meenakshi Brewster, MD, MPH from St. Mary's Health Department, MD (Region 3)
- Billy Pitts, MHA, MHR from Marshall County Health Department, KY (Region 4)
- Krista Wasowski, MSW, MPH from Medina County Health Department, OH (Region 5)
- Katherine Wells, MPH from City of Lubbock Health Department, TX (Region 6)
- Mona Zuffante, PhD, MPH, CPH from Winnebago Public Health Department, NE (Region 7)
- Tom Gonzales, MPH from Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, CO (Region 8)
- Christine Wu, MD, MPH from Napa County Health and Human Services Agency, CA (Region 9)
- Maggie Mann from Southeastern Idaho Public Health, ID (Region 10)

At-Large and Tribal Directors

The board also includes At-Large Directors representing various local health departments of different sizes:

- Patricia Bisch-Steinke, RN, BSN from Kidder County District Health Unit, ND (Under 50K population)
- Jason E. Orcena, MA, DrPH from Union County Health Department, OH (50K-100K population)
- Diana Gomez, MPH, CPA from Yuma County Public Health Services District, AZ (100K-500K population)
- Alan Melnick, MD, MPH, CPH from Clark County Public Health, WA (500K-1M population)
- Kiran Joshi, MD, MPH from Cook County Department of Health, IL (1M+ population)

Tribal Director:

- Lisa Pivec, MS, Senior Director of Public Health, Cherokee Nation Public Health, OK

Future Directions Under New Leadership

Lori Tremmel Freeman, CEO of NACCHO, expressed enthusiasm upon welcoming the new board members, emphasizing their significant contributions to local public health across various jurisdictions in the United States. She stated, “Their leadership, breadth of experience, and dedication to improving their communities will be instrumental in shaping public health's future.” The board plays a pivotal role, not only in establishing NACCHO's strategic initiatives but also in steering legislative agendas, approving policy statements, and ensuring financial compliance.

As NACCHO continues to represent over 3,300 local governmental health departments, these leaders are set to enhance collaboration and strengthen public health initiatives nationwide. This new term is seen as an opportunity to further protect and promote the health and well-being of the communities they serve, reaffirming a commitment to advancing public health practice and policy.

For additional information regarding NACCHO and its missions, please visit www.naccho.org.