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Recipient of the 2008 Ham
Stevens, MD Award
Dr. Leah Devlin
State Health Director
North Carolina Division of Public Health
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North Carolina State Health Director, Dr. Leah Devlin, has been named recipient of the annual Ham Stevens Award from the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors. The North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors bestows the award to individuals who exemplify the qualities of a former health director and friend of public health, Dr. Ham Stevens, MD.
Dr. Stevens was
largely responsible for bringing administrative health directors
and medical health directors together to form the North Carolina
Association of Local Health Directors (NCALHD). He served as the
Association's first President and was a former Health Director
for Buncombe and Duplin Counties.
Dr. Devlin began
her professional career at the Wake County Department of Health
as a dentist in 1979. In 1986, she became Director of the Wake
County Department of Health serving for ten years until moving
to the State of North Carolina. Dr. Devlin has been the North Carolina
State Health Official since May 2001. She has also served as past
president of NCPHA and NCALHD.
Among the many
accomplishments that earned Dr. Devlin this award were her efforts
on preparedness and unique health conditions issues. Through her
leadership, great advancements have been made by North Carolina
in this arena. Furthermore, she has been at the forefront with
accreditations. As State Health Director, she has successfully
solicited and provided funding to help remove the non-funded mandate
tag. Additionally, long before nutrition and physical activity
became popular, Dr. Devlin was championing preventive efforts.
Most admirable, is that Dr. Devlin has never forgotten the local
communities across North Carolina. She continues to seek community
involvement and makes great efforts to minimize funding cuts.
Dr.
Devlin firmly believes in collaborative efforts and has initiated
conferences that are attended by health, school, hospital, and
legislative leaders. Through the formation of these partnerships,
Dr. Devlin has made great strides for public health in North Carolina.
Her passion for public health, her focus on important public health
issues, and her ability to work within the system are to be commended.
Dr.
Devlin received her dental degree and master’s degree in public
health administration at the University of North Carolina's Chapel
Hill campus. At UNC she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and the
School of Public Health's honor society.
