David Howard

Brunswick County recently welcomed David Howard as the director of its health services department, according to a news release.

Howard has nearly 22 years of experience in the health field within the Cape Fear region and across North Carolina, most recently as the public health director for New Hanover County. He became an assistant public health director for New Hanover County in December 2017 and led their department as director since January 2021.

As Brunswick's director, Howard will oversee the county’s public health, environmental health and WIC/nutrition services operations. He takes the helm of the department following the retirement of previous director Cris Harrelson in November 2022. 

“It’s wonderful to have someone of David Howard’s caliber who is so enthusiastic about leading our health team,” said Deputy County Manager David Stanley, who oversees all health and human services operations, in the release. “We already have a great working relationship together through our interactions on mutual issues facing our region. Our staff is looking forward to welcoming David to our team and collaborating on initiatives to improve health outcomes for our residents and environment.”

Howard also previously served as the local health director for Hyde County and as the health and human services agency director and health director for Bladen County, according to the release. Howard currently serves as co-chair of the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors’ funding/investment committee and served on the executive committee and governing board for the North Carolina Public Health Association from 2018 to 2022, the release stated.

He is a member of the Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board, which "helps the state departments of Environmental Quality and Health and Human Services examine new and emerging chemicals and provides guidance on how to manage the compounds to better protect public health and the environment," according to the release.

Howard earned a bachelor’s degree in business/marketing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and a master of public health degree from the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

He has more than a decade of experience in the federal government’s National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) programs for emergency public health preparedness and response. He is also a graduate of the Management Academy of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.