North Central Health District

Macon-Bibb County Health Department Welcomes New Administrator

Posted January 25, 2021 by Michael Hokanson

The Macon-Bibb County Board of Health and District Health Director Reneé Haynes, MD, MPH are pleased to announce the hiring of Jimmie Smith, Jr., MD, MPH as Administrator of the Macon-Bibb County Health Department.

No stranger to public health, Dr. Smith most recently served as Senior Deputy of Health Science in the Chronic Disease Section at the Georgia Department of Public Health where his team tackled the burdens of chronic disease and cancer through support to local communities and health districts. He returns to providing direct services to the residents of and visitors to Macon-Bibb County, having previously served as an Assistant Professor of Practice for Mercer University where, from 2012-2018, he taught health courses and acted as the liaison for the Academic Health Department for the North Central Health District in a first-of-its-kind role in Georgia.

“Dr. Smith is a welcome addition to the Macon-Bibb team, and we have confidence in his ability to hit the ground running as Administrator for our Health Department,” said Chris Tsavatewa of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Health. “His proven executive leadership skills and existing knowledge of our community will be foundational as he identifies ways to reach more residents to achieve better health outcomes while addressing socioeconomic barriers to health, and he will challenge us to build coalitions and develop partnerships across our community to accomplish these important objectives.”

“Fighting COVID-19 is certainly our number one priority across the North Central Health District right now, and with the hiring of Dr. Smith, Macon-Bibb County is well positioned to continue addressing the global pandemic, both in the day-to-day operations of a local health department but also working to address the long-term effects of this virus on our population’s health,” said Reneé Haynes, District Health Director, North Central Health District.

“Public health remains a safety net for many in our community, and COVID-19 has put a spotlight on that fact,” said Dr. Smith. “I am excited about this opportunity to give back to the county I love, to lead a team of professionals committed to public health and improvement in health outcomes, including health equity, and to build meaningful partnerships and coalitions to bring about real improvement in the lives of people, starting with their health.”

Dr. Smith will lead a transition from the existing Health Department on Emery Highway to its new facility at 1600 Forsyth Street in the spring of 2021.

For additional resources or more information about the Macon-Bibb County Health Department, please visit NCHD52.org/Macon.