New Health Director | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    The Beaufort County Board of Health has appointed JaNell Octigan to serve as the next Beaufort County Health Director. She will assume her new duties January 1st, 2023, taking over for James Madson who is retiring at the end of December.

    The Beaufort County Board of Health was impressed with the interview and found great benefit in Octigan's history working with the department over the past 10 years. The board expressed confidence in her leadership skills demonstrated during COVID19 response, both operations and community outreach, but her involvement with strategic planning as well. Board of Health Chair, Dr. Chris Padgett, stated "I am very excited about us continuing the direction the Health Department has moved over the years. JaNell has demonstrated great leadership and skills and I know that she will continue to help move us forward in addressing health concerns in Beaufort County."

    Beaufort County Health Department services include environmental health, public health preparedness and response, health education and healthy communities programming, Women Infant Children nutrition program, communicable disease control and immunizations. Some other services include behavioral health, adult health, women's preventative health, maternal health, case management, and general clinic.

    Octigan served as an intern with Beaufort County Health Department in 2012. In 2013, she was then hired as a Public Health Education Specialist. Octigan served in that role for a year, before being promoted in 2014 to Human Services Planner IV/Preparedness Coordinator. For the past 9 years she has served as preparedness coordinator, Health Education Department Supervisor, Public Information Officer, Community Outreach Coordinator, and recently as co-accreditation officer.

    Octigan holds a bachelor's and master's degree in Public Health from East Carolina University. She received her Rural Health certificate from Brody School of Medicine.

    Octigan stated, "I'm honored and humbled to have the opportunity to continue serving Beaufort County Health Department and the community. I look forward to working with the board, county leadership, staff, and community partners to lead Beaufort County Health Department into the next era of Public Health."


   Contact:
   Phone: 252.946.1902
   Fax: 252.946.8430
   Email: BCHealth@bchd.net