PRESS RELEASE FROM THE KANAWHA CHARLESTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT
July 1, 2019
Dr. Sherri Young starts as health officer at Kanawha-Charleston Health Department
Dr. Sherri Young, DO, FAAFP began work as the health officer and executive director of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department on July 1, 2019.
Young is the first woman and the first doctor of osteopathic medicine to be the county’s full-time health officer.
Originally of Mullens, Young earned her bachelor of science in speech pathology and audiology at West Virginia University and her doctorate of osteopathic medicine from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. She trained in family medicine at Charleston Area Medical Center after earning her doctorate.
As the state’s immunization officer from September 2015 to January 2018, Young reviewed and made medical vaccine exemptions for the state’s school age children and spoke about immunizations and medical exemptions at the state and national level.
Prior to serving as immunization officer, Young served as the physician director of the state’s Division of Immunization Services and Medical Director of the Division of STD, HIV and Hepatitis from September 2015 through July 2016.
Young has been a Kanawha County resident for 16 years. She lives in Pinch with her daughter and husband.
Young is the current president of the West Virginia Academy of Family Physicians and the immediate past president of the Kanawha County Medical Association.
In August, she will become the president of the West Virginia State Medical Association.
“I’m excited to serve the residents of Kanawha County as health officer,” Young said.
Dr. Arthur Rubin, president of the Kanawha-Charleston Board of Health, said the board, in consultation with the Kanawha County Commission and the City of Charleston, redefined the original job qualifications it had posted for the health officer position. The decision was made to allow more local candidates to apply with experience in areas peripheral to public health and with degrees other than masters in public health, Rubin said.
“Dr. Young’s knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for the public health of this community certainly played a large part in the Board’s reasons to hire her,” Dr. Rubin said.
