Heather began her employment with Delaware County on June 4, 2007 as the Health Education Program Coordinator for the Department of Public Health.

Heather contributes to the development, implementation and monitoring of the Community Health Improvement Plan and grant performance standards.  She conducts project management, coordinates, plans, administers and evaluates community based education programs.  She is familiar with Article 6 State Aid programs and objectives and serves as a resource to staff.  Heather serves as a department representative in public health affiliated coalitions and is the public information officer for the department.  She is also managing the redesign of the department’s website.

Heather has been instrumental in her work in chronic disease prevention by acquiring a $5,000 grant from the New York State Health Foundation for the Complete Streets and Prescription Trails project in Delaware County.  She is a member of the Prescription Trails work group which assessed new and existing walking trails in the County.  This information is used by health care providers to develop patient tailored walking prescriptions as part of the evidence based Prescription Trails program.  Complete Streets policies have been adopted by three municipalities.  Heather brought Mark Fenton, a renowned expert speaker on designing healthy, walkable communities to Delaware County for a conference attended by local and state transportation experts, town supervisors, hospitals and the community.

Due to changes in Public Health regulations, the Medicaid redesign process and recently the Ebola outbreak, Heather has admirably risen to the challenge of shifting priorities.  For example, she coordinated the department’s medical countermeasures drill conducted this spring.

What Heather likes most about her job is that there is always something new and challenging at Public Health and the variety of roles and programs makes the job interesting.  She also enjoys collaborating with other departments and agencies on projects.  Heather says, “Most of all I enjoy serving the County I grew up in and raise my children in.”

Health and her husband, Paul, have two children, Sabra 15 and Brock 13.  She enjoys gardening, cooking, running, watching sports, and participating in her children’s extracurricular activities.  She is a member of the United Methodist Church, Delaware County Dairy Promotion Committee, and the Delaware County Holstein Club.

Heather was nominated for the Employee of the Month Award for her dedication to serve the public and the department.  Her “passion for the mission” is clearly demonstrated in her efforts to improve health in Delaware County.

Congratulations and thank you, Heather, for a job well done.