The Summit County Health Department has selected Kendra Babitz as its new deputy health director, beginning at the end of November.
“We’re fortunate to have Kendra join our team,” Summit County Health Director Dr. Phil Bondurant said. “She is a proven public health leader who focuses on improving health equity and access through data-driven policy. I look forward to working with Kendra and seeing all the good that comes from her efforts in this new role.”
Babitz spent the past 10 years working at the Department of Health and Human Services, most recently as the deputy director of emerging infections. During the COVID-19 response, she also served as the state testing director. In these roles, she oversaw grant management, policy work, and providing services with a focus on health equity.
Prior to these roles, she worked as the policy coordinator for health promotion and influenced policy outcomes in cannabis, tobacco, physical activity, nutrition, heart disease, violence and injury prevention, cancer, arthritis, and asthma.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention incorporated policy components into their chronic disease cooperative agreements based on the success of policy work she oversaw at the state level, according to officials.
“I look forward to working at the local level of public health for the first time in my career,” Babitz said. “I’ve overseen state-funded projects at the local level and worked with those partners to implement those programs. I appreciate the opportunity to be involved at the ground level to see the impact these projects have on community members.”
As the deputy director of Summit County Health, Babitz’s first priority is to build relationships and rapport with staff, partners and community members as part of Summit County Health’s efforts to foster a healthier community for all, officials said.