HICKORY — Jennifer McCracken, Catawba County Health Director, has been named the state Health Director of the Year by the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors, the county said March 12, 2026.
The county described the honor as recognizing McCracken’s approach to leadership: staff-centered workforce support that prioritizes professional development and recognition; transparency that promotes trust, accountability, and shared ownership of outcomes; and leadership centered on purpose, integrity, and innovation.
“This is a tremendous honor and reflects not only my work, but also the mentorship and groundwork laid by the health directors who have come before me,” McCracken said. “It is also a testament to the dedication Catawba County Public Health’s staff show every day in fulfilling our mission to promote, protect, and improve the health of the community by assessing and responding to needs, assuring services, developing policies, and fostering collaboration.”
The nomination highlighted her professional leadership at the local, regional, and state levels, alongside her community involvement, and focused on partnerships developed during her tenure at Catawba County Public Health. The county said her leadership has resulted in broad innovation across program areas and strategic partnerships that have prompted Public Health to look at new methods to provide services, as well as receive local, state, and national recognition for the health department’s programs and achievements.
The nomination, as quoted by the county, states that McCracken “embodies our values by always looking at the community and folks who enter our doors to ensure they are getting the best service possible. She has pushed all of our program areas to solicit and act on feedback from our clients and the public and is a driving force toward us leveraging data to make informed decisions and measure the impact of our work. … Jennifer always strives to provide the best services and customer service to everyone who enters our building or seeks our services, and also within our community. Her response is never ‘we can’t do that,’ but is always ‘let’s find a way to make it happen.’”
McCracken was recognized at an awards luncheon on March 11, 2026, in Cary.
Catawba County Public Health promotes and protects the health of all Catawba County residents through preventive services, innovative partnerships, and community health improvement initiatives, the notice said. For more information, the county listed (828) 695-5800 or www.catawbacountync.gov/phealth.
The March 12 notice does not name the nominator.
Official release from Catawba County Government, March 12, 2026. https://www.catawbacountync.gov/news/health-director-of-the-year/
