ALEXANDRIA, VA — Dr. Anne Gaddy has been appointed acting director of the Alexandria Health Department, taking over leadership as its former director moves into a regional role with the Virginia Department of Health.
Gaddy replaces Dr. David Rose, who became Northern Virginia regional director for the Virginia Department of Health on Nov. 9.
Gaddy, who has served as Alexandria's deputy health director since 2019, will oversee the department's operations while the Commonwealth of Virginia searches for a permanent director.
During her tenure, Gaddy helped lead Alexandria's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health challenges. She has also managed the department's epidemiology, informatics and public health emergency management divisions.
A board-certified pediatrician and preventive medicine physician, Gaddy earned her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2003 and completed her pediatric residency there in 2006.
She spent more than a decade providing medical care, primarily in pediatric urgent care and emergency settings, before earning a Master of Public Health and completing a preventive medicine residency at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
In 2021, Gaddy received an Alexandria Celebrates Women Award recognizing her contributions to the community.
The Alexandria Health Department provides public health services, including disease prevention, health education, emergency preparedness and other programs aimed at protecting residents' health.
A timeline for selecting a permanent health director has not been announced.
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