On Thursday, the Utah Department announced Dr. Leisha Nolen as its newest state epidemiologist. According to a press release, Nolen will become Utah’s top infectious disease expert when she officially joins the health department on July 6. Nolen currently works in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Arctic Investigations Program in Anchorage, Alaska. Nolen was also one of the first responders in Seattle early in the COVID-19 pandemic. She said in the release that she hopes to find ways that her “training and experience can contribute to the programs and teams already in place” in Utah.
Nolen will be replacing former state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn, who just started a new role as the executive director of the Salt Lake County Health Department. In the release, Dunn said she speaks for all local health officers “in welcoming Dr. Nolen to Utah and offering our support to help ensure her success.”
