Leah Devlin receives national award

The national Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) has bestowed the organization’s highest and most prestigious award – the McCormack Award – on Dr. Leah Devlin, North Carolina’s State Health Director, in recognition of her leadership and integrity.

Established in 1950 to honor the late Arthur T. McCormack, a Kentucky State Health Official, this award is presented each year to a current or former public health official who has served in public health for at least ten years, has served as a state health official for at least five years, has demonstrated excellence, and has made a significant contribution to the knowledge and practice of the field.

Dr. Devlin’s public health career began in 1979 at the Wake County Department of Health. She joined N.C. DHHS in 1996 and was named State Health Director in 2001. In addition to her many accomplishments on the local, state and national levels, Dr. Devlin served as the 2005-2006 president of ASTHO.

The award was presented to Dr. Devlin on Sept. 14 at the annual ASTHO meeting in Atlanta. ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the state and territorial public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia. ASTHO's members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy, and to assuring excellence in state-based public health practice.

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Last Modified: October 3, 2006