National Association of County and City Health Officials Names Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck as the New Executive Director

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of LaMar Hasbrouck, M.D., M.P.H., as its new Executive Director, effective February 10, 2015.  NACCHO's mission is to be a leader, partner, catalyst, and voice with local health departments working towards a vision of health, equity, and security for all people in their communities. "Dr. Hasbrouck's experience working at all levels of governmental public health practice along with credentials in public health and medicine are especially appropriate at a time when the public health and healthcare sectors are transforming in response to political, economic, and social pressures," said Georgia Heise, Dr.P.H., NACCHO's President. "NACCHO's continuing emphasis on assuring and representing local and foundational governmental public health capacity and services remains in good hands." Dr. Hasbrouck was most recently the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.  Illinois has about 100 local governmental public health departments that range from among the nation's largest to some of the smallest in size. As a Senate-confirmed member of the Governor's cabinet, Dr. Hasbrouck managed the department responsible for protecting the health and improving the lives of the state's 13 million residents through the prevention and control of disease and injury. The Department has two headquarters, seven regional offices, 1,100 staff, a budget of $600 million, and more than 200 programs, including vaccinations, food and water safety, dairy and drugs, health facilities licensing and regulation, outbreak investigations, HIV/AIDS drug assistance, collection and evaluation of health statistics, screening newborns for genetic diseases, and programs to meet the special health needs of women. Combined with the efforts of local health departments, these vital programs and services make up the state's public health system, a system that bears major responsibility for the quality of life in Illinois. Among Hasbrouck's achievements as Director, he developed a five-year strategy, implemented various aspects of the Affordable Care Act, applied for voluntary national accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board, and built successful partnerships to pass a state cigarette tax increase. In addition, Hasbrouck led the development of statewide blueprints for health workforce development and population health integration, two key initiatives of the Governor's Office for Health Innovation and Transformation. "It is an uncommon privilege to join NACCHO as its next Executive Director," Hasbrouck said. "I am looking forward to working with and being inspired by a diverse Board of Directors, an energized professional staff, and a wide range of colleagues and organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors dedicated to transforming the health of the community. I believe that strong local health departments are the backbone for a robust public health enterprise that includes state health departments and federal partners. NACCHO's continued growth in the service of local health departments is therefore critical to the health of the nation." Prior to his appointment as Illinois' 17th Director of Public Health, Dr. Hasbrouck served as the only county official in New York State to lead both the public health and mental health departments in Ulster County. He held positions of increasing responsibility with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including directing the CDC office in Guyana, South America. He has also served on faculties of medicine and public health. Dr. Hasbrouck is currently a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health and is a Diplomat with the American Board of Internal Medicine.  He is a former Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the CDC, Primary Care Health Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Heath Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). He is also the recipient of numerous awards for his governmental and non-governmental work. Dr. Hasbrouck replaces Robert Pestronk, M.P.H., who served NACCHO for seven years and is retiring next month. About the National Association of County and City Health Officials The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the nation's 2,800 local governmental health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information about NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org.