Washington, DC, August 6, 2024 — The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the voice of the over 3,300 local health departments across the country, announces Patrick McGough, DNP, MSHR, RN, CHA, Chief Executive Officer/Chief Health Officer for Oklahoma City-County Health Department as Vice President of its Board of Directors for the 2024-2025 term. Dr. McGough assumed the role on July 1, 2024. Following his term as Vice President, he will become NACCHO Board President-Elect on July 1, 2025.
“I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be serving as Vice President,” said Dr. McGough. “As a public health leader, I regard NACCHO as a premier ‘go to’ association for public health implementation in our nation today. Teeming with resources, educational opportunities, guidance, support, legislative advocacy, and partnership efforts, to name but a few of its strongpoints, every local public health department can benefit by being connected with such a dynamic association.”
Dr. McGough joined the Oklahoma City-County Health Department in 2008 and currently serves as its CEO/CHO. He holds a Doctoral Degree in Nursing Practice/Executive Leadership from Oklahoma City University (OCU) and has taught Public Health, Law, Policy, Leadership, and Organizational Development to doctoral nursing students. Recognized as OCU’s Distinguished Alumnus in 2016-17, Dr. McGough has held leadership roles in Oklahoma’s Department of Human Services and Department of Health, as well as owning and operating a successful home health corporation.
With 39 years of experience as a Registered Nurse, Dr. McGough brings vast expertise in clinical and community health, primary and acute care, mental health and substance abuse, and hospice care. He is an Oklahoma Public Health Leadership Institute Fellow and received a Citation of Commendation for his advocacy for children and young parents. Dr. McGough was named an Emerging Leader in Public Health by The Kresge Foundation in 2017 and actively serves numerous local, state, national, and international health organizations in various roles.
“Dr. McGough has demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout his career in public health and within the board,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, NACCHO CEO. “We are pleased to welcome him as Vice President on the Board and look forward to his insights in driving our mission forward.”
NACCHO’s Board is led by four executive officers, including:
- Michael Kilkenny, MD, MS, President; Cabell-Huntington Health Department, WV
- Damōn Chaplin, MBA, President-Elect; City of Minneapolis Department of Public Health, MN
- Patrick McGough, DNP, MSHR, RN, CHA, Vice President; Oklahoma City-County Health Department, OK
- Pramōd Dwivedī, DrPH, MS, Immediate Past President; Linn County Public Health Department, IA
NACCHO is governed by a 22-member board comprising local and tribal health officials who are elected by their peers, as well as one ex-officio member representing partner organizations. As the governing body, NACCHO’s Board of Directors establishes the association’s strategic direction and initiatives, sets the annual legislative agenda, approves official policy statements, ensures that annual goals are met, and provides financial oversight. The Board is NACCHO’s public face and represents members in matters of policy, public health practice, and collaboration with health partners in the public and private sectors.
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About Oklahoma City-County Health Department
The Oklahoma City Health Department was set up in 1910 to deal with the basic sanitation and disease control problems of Oklahoma City’s rapidly growing new community. In 1939, Oklahoma County set up its own much needed health department. The two departments merged in 1954. The Oklahoma City-County Health Department was one of the first public health departments in the entire nation to be awarded accreditation status by the Public Health Accreditation Board. For more information, please visit www.occhd.org.
About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information about NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org.
