The administration of Gov. Janet Mills has announced the new director of the state Center for Disease Control.
Dr. Puthiery Va is currently the director of the Division of Public Health for the Indian Health Service Navajo area in Chinle, Arizona. She has also worked as a disease investigator at the U.S. CDC.
State officials say her experience will help strengthen public health infrastructure in Maine.
Va received her medical degree from the University of New England. In a written statement she said she's honored to become the next director of the Maine CDC and will focus on strengthening community-based services.
She'll officially take the post on Aug. 28th.
She replaces Dr. Nirav Shah, who left the agency early this year for a post at the U.S. CDC.
