Elizabeth McGeary, director and health officer with the Jefferson County Health Department, has built a department centered around passion for the work and rooted in community trust and support, according to colleagues.
“She prioritizes communication, strategic orientation, workforce development and sustainability,” said Michael Luckey, assistant to the Jefferson County Administrator. “Her department has restructured to align with their foundational public health services, honing their data collection and utilization to ensure they can serve as community health strategists.”
Under McGeary’s leadership, the Jefferson County Health Department has become a Level III Health Department and has worked in collaboration with the county and other community partners to navigate COVID-19 and two outbreaks of avian influenza, according to Luckey.
The department also launched an overdose fatality review team, implemented a purple air monitor, started a sexual assault nurse examiner program and partnered with the Watertown Regional Medical Center on Spanish-speaking labor and delivery classes.
“The more Elizabeth gets involved, the more her passion for the health care field grows,” Luckey said.
