Title: Director of Community Health
Company: Logan County Health District
Education: BS in Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida (2021)
Career History: Director of Community Health, Logan County Health District (2022-Present); Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Logan County Health District (2022); Health Educator, Logan County Health District (2021-2022); Outreach Specialist, Logan County Health District (2021); Intern, Logan County Health District (2021); Customer Service Representative, DICK’S Sporting Goods (2017-2019)
Megan Bailey, Director of Community Health at Logan County Health District, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of public health.
While a student at the University of Florida, Ms. Bailey interned at Logan County Health District, which introduced her to public health. There, she gained hands-on experience in environmental health, worked with nursing, and helped implement a homebound COVID-19 program that provided vaccinations to those who didn’t have transportation; they brought immunizations directly to people in their homes. Upon graduating with a bachelor’s degree in health education and behavior in 2021, she continued at working at the public health department, advancing from an outreach specialist to an emergency preparedness coordinator before reaching her current leadership position.
As the Director of Community Health since 2022, Ms. Bailey manages the newest division within the health district and oversees all community outreach initiatives; secures grants from the state health department and other agencies to support their work; and oversees emergency preparedness in collaboration with local leaders, fire departments, and the county’s Emergency Management Agency. In addition, she manages accreditation efforts, ensuring compliance with quality improvement standards and performance measures, and develops the community health improvement plan. She’s been extremely passionate about the organization’s mission and the various programs it offers.
Over the course of her time at the health district, Ms. Bailey considers her most significant accomplishment to be the successful implementation of a syringe exchange program in a small, conservative county, reflecting a strong commitment to harm reduction. After receiving approval from the Board of Health in 2019, the program faced various challenges over the years due to the inability of other agencies to host it. However, the program became operational with active participation from community members and strong support from local partners. To further enhance its impact, they collaborate with the Logan County Common Pleas Court to integrate the program with pre-child services, establishing it as a promising practice in the community.
Looking toward the future, Ms. Bailey strives to attain her master’s degree in a public health-related field and serve as a health commissioner before potentially returning to the state health department to further her career.