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OSWEGO COUNTY — The Oswego County Legislature named Vera Dunsmoor as the county’s new director of public health in January, and the New York State Department of Health recently confirmed that choice.
Dunsmoor has over 15 years of public health experience, joining the county health department in 2007. She has held a variety of positions throughout her county career, including public health nurse, public health nurse supervisor, director of patient services and assistant director of public health. She recently served as Acting Director of Public Health.
“Vera has considerable health care experience and has done an excellent job in her role as Acting Director of Public Health,” said Oswego County Legislator James Karasek, District 22, Chairman of the Legislative Health Committee. “She has demonstrated her dedication and strong work ethic throughout her years of service in the health department, making her an ideal candidate for the position of Director of Public Health.”
Dunsmoor’s experience includes working with healthcare partners to merge healthcare with traditional public health practices to improve resident health outcomes, as well as managing professional and paraprofessional staff to provide quality and compassionate care to residents across the county.
“It is a great honor to be selected as Oswego County’s Director of Public Health,” Dunsmoor said. “Our health department works diligently to promote and protect the health and well-being of our residents. We offer a wide range of programs and resources related to preventative care, health education, emergency preparedness, environmental health, children with special needs and more.
“I look forward to continuing our efforts in these initiatives, working with staff and community partners to develop new public health strategies, and leading our department as we strive to improve the overall well-being of residents. of Oswego County,” she added.
Dunsmoor earned an associate’s degree in nursing from Cayuga Community College before attending Roberts Wesleyan College where she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in nursing education.
Throughout her career, Dunsmoor has been involved in various professional affiliations. She currently serves on the board of the Weston T. Hyde Oswego County Educational Foundation and is a member of the NYS Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO) and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).
She has also received several honors, including being named to the 2020 New York State Public Health Works Honor Roll. This recognition honors public health workers who have helped make New York one of the healthiest cities.
\In 2019, Dunsmoor received a Mentorship Fellowship from NACCHO in response to the nation’s opioid epidemic. The Overdose Prevention and Response Mentorship Program paired her with a mentor in a county with similar demographics to navigate effective strategies to respond to the crisis. Among other benefits, the program has strengthened partnerships with law enforcement, which has led to the creation of a public health and safety team. The group will focus on using data-driven strategies to reduce overdoses and overdose deaths to create positive change in the community.
Oswego County Health Department services are available to all county residents. For more information, visit www.oswegocounty.com/health/ or call the health department at 315-349-3547.
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