FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2013

Contact: Communications Office
(850) 245-4111

TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Department of Health (DOH) has named Holly Kirsch as acting Administrator of the DOH in Leon County. Kirsch fills the position which was previously held by Dr. Homer Rice, who retired earlier this month.

“Ms. Kirsch has provided 25 years of dedicated public health leadership in Florida,” said Deputy Secretary for Statewide Services Meade Grigg. “She brings the experience and commitment needed to continue moving health forward in Leon County.”

Kirsch joined DOH-Leon in July 1988 as a public health nutritionist for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. Kirsch has since managed the WIC program at DOH-Leon and five surrounding counties. She became the Director of the Public Health Nutrition Program in May 1996, and was later promoted to Health Center Administrator in December 2004 where she oversaw WIC, immunizations, Healthy Start, clinic operations and special needs shelters.

Kirsch is a licensed and registered dietician, and holds a Bachelor of Science in nutrition from Florida State University (FSU). She coordinates internships between the FSU nutrition program and DOH-Leon and serves on the Leon County Extension Office Advisory Committee. She has been fully trained in the National Incident Command System, which allowed her to play a lead role in the H1N1 mass vaccination campaign.

DOH protects, promotes and improves the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For news story ideas, interviews, videos and more from DOH Communications visit the DOH Online Newsroom.