Southern Health Association

2009 SHA Charles Jordan Award Presented to Georgia Heise, PhD

This year the award was presented to Georgia Heise, PhD., Director of the Three Rivers District Health Department in Kentucky. Dr. Heise leads by example.

Under her direction, she has been able to seek grant opportunities which in part have brought two registered nurses to the school system. In partnership with Owen County Schools this has allowed a school nurse to be provided in every school in the system--one of a very select few in the Commonwealth, if not the only one, who can lay claim that each one of the schools has a school nurse.

Georgia and her employees have developed partnerships with the school system; county and city government; the local hospital; and the Owenton Manor. Whether giving TB test to school-age toddlers or meeting the needs of senior citizens, all can count on Georgia and Three Rivers to be a part of the solution in Owen County as it relates to public health.

Dr. Heise has a unique ability to involve people and inspire them to get onboard of whatever project is at hand. She has the ability to make people feel like they are part of something important and much bigger than all of us.

Dr. Heise’s unparalleled professionalism and diplomacy skills are a duo that acts as the catalyst in meetings and work groups. She tackles issues head on and inspires those around her to rise to the challenge. She was instrumental in securing over 1 million dollars for the funding of a new Gallatin County Health Center, enabling the citizens of that county to have greater access to health care in their time of need during the current economic condition of our nation.

Georgia completed her doctorate in Public Health while at the helm of this four county agency. Again leadership by example resulted in many of the employees furthering their own education.

Dr. Heise believes that public health must be flexible and adaptive. She drives her agency toward constant community and program assessments while encouraging change when required to better serve. These assessments are conducted not as an individual agency, but as a leader in its community, an organizer of collaboration and partnerships. Recently, Dr. Heise implemented the Mobilizing for Actions through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) program in addition to openly taking giant leaps for the sake of public health in Kentucky by initiating the National Public Health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP). These programs put Three Rivers District and Kentucky in the same playing field as recommended by organizations such as American Public Health Association and the Centers for Disease Control. The vision that Dr. Heise strives to achieve is to improve the quality of public health practice and performance of our public health system through excellence as defined by standards from the Office of the Chief of Public Health Practice. This accomplishment created National recognition to Dr. Heise, her staff, and Three Rivers District in 2008 as witnessed at several events and conferences across the country.