Three directors from the St. Mary’s County Health Department assumed leadership positions with Maryland statewide organizations this fall, positioning the county to influence public health policy and resources for rural and semi-rural communities. Angela Cochran, director of the division of health promotion and community services, joined the Maryland Rural Health Association board of directors. Tammy Loewe, director of the behavioral health division, was elected co-chair of the Maryland Behavioral Health Advisory Council. Lisa Nelson, director of the clinical services division and director of nursing, was selected as vice chair of the Maryland Public Health Nurse Council.
These appointments, effective in recent months, expand the department’s reach beyond St. Mary’s County, a semi-rural area along the Potomac River where health access often hinges on coordination with state partners. The roles come amid ongoing efforts to address provider shortages and service gaps in Southern Maryland, where transportation challenges and limited facilities complicate care delivery. St. Mary’s County, with its mix of farmland, waterways and growing suburbs around Leonardtown and Lexington Park, qualifies under many rural health definitions due to these barriers.
Cochran’s selection for the Maryland Rural Health Association board occurred ahead of the fiscal year 2026 term starting July 1, 2025. The association unites health departments, hospitals, community centers and professionals to advocate for rural residents’ needs. Its board, comprising up to 18 members including at-large directors like Cochran, sets priorities such as funding for telehealth expansions and workforce recruitment. In St. Mary’s, where rural designations apply to much of the county’s 372 square miles, the group has supported initiatives like mobile clinics serving remote areas near Charlotte Hall. “It is a privilege to join the Maryland Rural Health Association Board and to help address barriers to care and public health resources that many rural and semi-rural communities face,” Cochran said. “I look forward to collaborating with partners statewide to strengthen services for St. Mary’s County and rural residents across Maryland.”
Loewe’s election as co-chair of the Maryland Behavioral Health Advisory Council builds on her 27 years in the field, including prior service as a designee for the Maryland Association of Core Service Agencies. The council, established under state law, guides policy on prevention, treatment and recovery for mental health and substance use disorders. It convenes monthly planning committees and workgroups, with recent sessions in September and October 2025 focusing on cultural competency and youth services. For Southern Maryland, where opioid overdoses claimed 142 lives in St. Mary’s County from 2020 to 2024, the council’s emphasis on evidence-based interventions holds direct relevance. Loewe’s role will inform state grants that fund local programs, such as the county’s July 2025 launch of a mobile crisis team with Charles County, pairing mental health professionals and peer specialists for home-based responses. “I am honored to serve as the Co-Chair of the Behavioral Health Advisory Council,” Loewe said. “I look forward to collaborating alongside dedicated leaders from across the state to help improve behavioral health services in our communities.”
Nelson’s vice chair position on the Maryland Public Health Nurse Council, comprising leaders from the state’s 24 jurisdictions, promotes best practices in nursing across local departments. The council shares guidelines on topics like vaccination drives and chronic disease management, fostering partnerships with national groups such as the Association of State and Territorial Directors of Nursing. In St. Mary’s, public health nurses staff school clinics in Leonardtown and community outreach in Mechanicsville, along with being located at Spring Ridge in Lexington Park and Margaret Brent in Mechanicsville; here is the link to the School-Based Health Centers, addressing needs heightened by the county’s aging population, where 18 percent of residents are 65 or older. Nelson, a master’s-prepared registered nurse with experience in inpatient and outpatient settings, previously joined a national informatics group in 2024 to advance data-driven care. “I am honored to serve as Vice Chair and grateful for the opportunity to ensure public health nurses have a strong voice across Maryland,” she said. “Together, we can advance nursing practice, support our colleagues, and improve the health of the communities we serve.”
Dr. Meena Brewster, St. Mary’s County health officer, highlighted the appointments’ broader value. “We are thrilled that Angela Cochran, Tammy Loewe, and Lisa Nelson have been recognized with leadership roles that impact public health services and policy across the state,” Brewster said. “Their dedication to public health and professional knowledge in their areas of expertise will continue to significantly benefit our southern Maryland region and state. Congratulations to them for their well-deserved selection! I thank them for representing our county and local health department with such professionalism.”
These roles align with Maryland’s push to bolster rural health infrastructure, as outlined in the state’s 2025 Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 million federal initiative to upgrade facilities and training. Southern Maryland faces acute challenges, including a workforce shortage that left 15 percent of primary care slots unfilled in 2025 and higher rates of preventable heart disease deaths compared to urban areas. In July 2025, the state eased behavioral health provider restrictions in 14 rural counties, including St. Mary’s, to improve access without overwhelming urban systems. They are headquartered in Leonardtown with their Health Hub located on Great Mills Road, and the School-Based Health Centers at Spring Ridge and Margaret Brent.
Public health nursing in the region draws from programs at the College of Southern Maryland, which graduates 80 associate-degree nurses yearly, many entering local roles at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital or the health department. Behavioral health services include psychiatric rehabilitation and trauma groups for youth, while rural advocacy efforts target inequities like limited broadband for teletherapy in areas east of Route 5. The council appointments enable St. Mary’s input on state budgets, such as the $1.2 billion allocated for behavioral health in fiscal year 2026.
St. Mary’s participation in these bodies traces to the department’s history of state collaboration, from leading COVID-19 vaccinations in 2021 to current work on the Maryland Commission on Public Health’s recommendations for equitable funding. As Southern Maryland’s population nears 400,000, with St. Mary’s growing by 2 percent yearly, these leadership spots ensure local voices shape responses to emerging needs, from climate-related health risks along the Patuxent River to workforce pipelines via partnerships with Patuxent River Naval Air Station.
For more on the Maryland Rural Health Association, visit mdruralhealth.org. Details on the Maryland Behavioral Health Advisory Council.
