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Maine's Chief Health Officer Resigns

AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine's chief health officer has resigned after only a month on the job, the Bangor Daily News reports.

Dr. Sheila Pinette was director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2011 until recently, when she left that agency to become the chief health officer for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC.

Pinette's last day will be Friday, according to a memo obtained by the BDN. Dr. Christopher Pezzullo has been appointed as acting chief health officer, the memo indicates.  Pezzullo has served as medical director for the Maine CDC's division of population health.

DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew told the Portland Press Herald that Pinette is leaving her position voluntarily. 

“Dr. Pinette has provided dedicated service to the people of Maine and the Maine CDC during the last four years, and I appreciate her many contributions in key areas of public health," Mayhew said in a statement issued this afternoon. "Dr. Pinette has agreed to provide state epidemiological coverage on a contractual basis.  The level of clinical expertise at the Maine CDC remains strong.  I look forward to the contributions of Dr. Pezzullo in the Acting Chief Health Officer’s role, and we continue to move forward to fill  the state epidemiologist’s position.”