November 8, 2016

Florida Department of Health Brevard Selects New Health Officer

Contact:
Communications Office
NewsMedia@flhealth.gov
(850) 245-4111

Tallahassee, Fla.—The Florida Department of Health is pleased to announce Maria A. Stahl DNP, RN as the new health officer for the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County (DOH-Brevard). Dr. Stahl will have oversight of its divisions including environmental health, community health, epidemiology and administrative services. She will also be responsible for maintaining and growing partnerships with stakeholders and expanding public health services in the community.

“Dr. Stahl has the depth of experience in her career as a public health nurse administrator that equips her to lead the department,” said Paul Myers, Acting Deputy Secretary for County Health Systems. “Her leadership capabilities in public health administration coupled with her stellar academic credentials make Dr. Stahl a terrific candidate to carry on the mission of building healthier, stronger communities.”

Dr. Stahl most recently served the last six of her 33 years in public health as nursing services director at DOH-Brevard where she oversaw operations for family planning, school health, maternity, immunizations, refugee health, STD, dental, WIC and disaster preparedness. Before taking on this role, she served for five months as the interim health officer for DOH-Brevard where, in addition to her regular duties, she was responsible for the department’s $19 million budget, hiring, performance improvement, senior management and attending community meetings. She joined the department in 1995 as a senior community health nurse and has served as nursing program specialist and TB program coordinator from 1997-1998, senior community health nursing supervisor from 1998-2000, assistant community health nursing director from 2000-2003, and from 2003-2010 she was the executive community health nursing director.

In addition to her work experience, Dr. Stahl has been awarded numerous times for her professional acumen. Most recently she received the 2015 Prudential Financial Davis Productivity Awards for the Vaccine Support Program and Teen Pregnancy Reduction Program. She remains active in her community by sitting on several health advisory boards and councils including the University of Central Florida College of Nursing Advisory Board, Space Coast Health Foundation, and the Health Council of East Central Florida where she was chair from 2014-2015. Dr. Stahl has also been instrumental in applying for and receiving grants worth over $1.2 million to fund public health programs.

Dr. Stahl earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice as well as her Master of Nursing Education at the University of Central Florida where she is currently an adjunct instructor in public health and community health nursing. She received her Bachelors in Nursing at the University of Buffalo.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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