Our History

Naccho Mug

In 1965, the National Association of Counties (NACo) and other partners, decided to form an association to represent the voice of local public health.


The result was the National Association of County Health Officials, also known as NACHO.

For two decades, the association was a volunteer-only group that worked to serve the needs of local health departments.

Then, in 1985, NACHO President Bob Harmon registered the organization as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The following year, NACHO rented its first office space in 440 1st Street NW, Washington D.C. A few years later, in 1989, NACHO held its first annual conference in Covington, Kentucky.

In 1994, NACHO changed its name to the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). From the very beginning, NACCHO has been focused on protecting the interest of local public health.

NACCHO is currently working on a digital timeline to highlight the accomplishments of the past five decades. If you have any stories, photographs, or other suggestions for the timeline, please use the form below.

Naccho History Workgroup 1994

NACCHO staff members, Nancy Rawding and Grace Gorenflo, gather for a picture with local health officers after a workgroup meeting in Orlando in 1994. Front row includes Gladys Brannic, Ralph Morris, and Grace Gorenflo. Back row includes Mo Mullet, Bobby Pestronk, Marty Wasserman, Nancy Rawding, Jane Ford, Randy Gordon, and Pat Libbey.

If you have any photos of your experiences with NACCHO, please upload them using the file upload.
Back to Top