Town Names Dr. Joanna Watson New Public Health Director

The town named former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leader Dr. Joanna Watson as Nantucket's new public health director on Friday.

Dr. Watson succeeds outgoing health director Roque Miramontes, who resigned earlier this year after one and a half years on the job.

In its announcement on Friday, the town described Dr. Watson as "an accomplished public health leader and epidemiologist with more than 20 years of experience in global health, infectious disease response, workforce development, and scientific leadership."

As a former senior leader at the CDC, Dr. Watson led major public health initiatives and emergency responses, including Ebola, COVID-19, Zika, and malaria, while overseeing international health programs and mentoring the next generation of public health professionals.

Dr. Watson earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Epidemiology from the University of Oxford.

As Nantucket's next public health director, Dr. Watson will oversee all public health and communication initiatives of the town's Health & Human Services Department, represent Nantucket to local and state agencies, and serve as the liaison for the Board of Health. She will join the town in her new role in August.