New Administrator Selected For Marion County

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Tallahassee, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health today announced the appointment of Mark Lander as the administrator for the Florida Department in Marion County (DOH-Marion), effective September 15, 2017. He will be responsible for overseeing all operations including planning, directing, developing and coordinating public health programs and activities. Lander has been serving as administrator for DOH in Columbia and Hamilton Counties since late 2012.

“Mr. Lander’s previous leadership experience in Columbia and Hamilton communities coupled with his institutional knowledge of the department will serve Marion well,” said Deputy Secretary for County Health Systems Paul Myers. “Mark understands that successful outcomes in public health come from an active alliance between the department, local government, and community organizations.”

Lander has nearly 30 years of experience with the department in a variety of public health functions. He started with the department in 1990, at what was then the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services conducting environmental investigations for the District 3 office in Gainesville. In 1994, Lander accepted a position at DOH-Alachua, in the Environmental Health Section, first serving as a field inspector, eventually becoming the assistant environmental health director. In 2003, he became the environmental health director for DOH-Columbia, a position he held until 2009.

Starting in 2009, Lander was the operations and managerial consultant for DOH-Columbia and Hamilton, a position in which he was responsible for overseeing financial and daily operations including budget preparation, county contract management, procurement and purchasing. He served in this role until December 2012, when he became the administrator for both counties.

Lander earned a Bachelor of Science in Food and Natural Resource Economics in 1989 and a Master of Science in Soil and Water Science in 2003, both from the University of Florida. He currently serves as the Chair of the North Central Florida Healthy Start Provider Council, is President-Elect for the Florida Association of County Health Officials as well as an active member of National Association of County and City Health Officials. Additionally, he serves on the Regional Domestic Security Task Force, the Child Abuse Death Review Committee, United Way, Early Learning Coalition and the Florida Environmental Health Association.

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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