Jon McCullers, MD, senior executive associate dean of Clinical Affairs and chief operating officer for the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at UTHSC and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, is the new chair of the Shelby County Board of Health.
The Board of Health includes local experts in a number of health care fields and will advise and support the Shelby County Health Department in its work to advance public health. The board will evaluate and provide recommendations related to the general health and safety of the citizens of Shelby County.
The board includes two physicians, a dentist, a pharmacist, a registered nurse, a veterinarian, and one citizen representative.
The members were nominated by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and approved by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. During its first meeting, the board selected Dr. McCullers to serve as its first chair.
“The COVID-19 crisis showed that the Health Department could benefit from external, expert assessment and advice, and the mayor and county commission last year voted to reconstitute it,” Dr. McCullers said. “Important topics are under discussion, including provisions of mental and behavioral health services in Shelby County and approaches to mitigating the impact of community violence through public health initiatives. I hope that there will be multiple opportunities for myself, as a leader in the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, to participate in these overarching initiatives and better serve our community through collaboration and collective impact.”
“We are delighted that Dr. McCullers was elected to serve as chairman of the Shelby County Health Department Board,” said Scott Strome, MD, executive dean of the UTHSC College of Medicine. “Jon’s incredible knowledge and experience in the public health space, combined with his leadership acumen, will benefit the health and wellness of our entire community.”
The Shelby County Board of Health will meet quarterly. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 18, at 4 p.m. at the Shelby County Health Department Headquarters, 814 Jefferson Ave.