LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson today announced the appointment of Jennifer Dillaha, M.D. as Director of the Department of Health.

Since joining the Arkansas Department of Health in 2001, Dr. Dillaha has played a leading role in the Agency’s health promotion efforts, using a life stage approach that focuses on population-based interventions to improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans.

“Dr. Dillaha has played a significant role in guiding the state through the last two years of the pandemic.” Governor Hutchinson said. “She has shown her dedication to Arkansas, and I have full confidence that she will continue to lead the state in improved health outcomes with the same dedication.”

In August 2021, Dr. Dillaha was named the Chief Medical Officer. This is in addition to her role as Medical Director for Immunizations since November 2013 and the Medical Director for Outbreak Response since September 2019. Her charge in the role of Chief Medical Officer is to provide leadership and guidance for addressing Arkansas’s most pressing health problems, including COVID-19. She is a physician with specialty training in internal medicine and subspecialty training in infectious diseases and in geriatric medicine.

Prior to her current roles, Dr. Dillaha served as the State Epidemiologist from March 2020 to August 2021, Special Advisor for Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Director from June 2010 to April 2013, and Director of the Center for Health Advancement from August 2005 to June 2010 at the Arkansas Department of Health.