LEONARDTOWN — St. Mary’s County will need a new top public health official by the end of the year. Dr. Meena Brewster will conclude her service as county health officer on Dec. 8, ending 14 years at the head of the St. Mary’s County Health Department, the department announced Oct. 21.
The department did not name an interim leader or say how a successor will be chosen. It said it is working with St. Mary’s County Government and the Maryland Department of Health to keep services and operations steady, and that its existing leadership team will carry day-to-day programs through the transition. More details on interim leadership and the search will be released as they are available, the department said.
The announcement did not say why Brewster is leaving or what she plans to do next.
How a new health officer is chosen
In Maryland, local health officers are state-county positions. Under state law, the county nominates a candidate and the Maryland Secretary of Health appoints the nominee if the secretary finds the person qualified. When a vacancy occurs, the county’s governing body sets up a process, in consultation with the state health department, to recommend a candidate, according to a 2022 change to the law that also rewrote how health officers can be removed.
That puts the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County at the center of the search. Commissioner President Randy Guy thanked Brewster for her service in the department’s announcement.
“Dr. Brewster’s leadership and dedication over the past 14 years have made a lasting impact on the health and well-being of St. Mary’s County residents,” Guy said.
A tenure that spanned the pandemic
Brewster was appointed in 2012. Her time in office included the COVID-19 pandemic, when The Daily Record named her a 2020 Health Care Hero in its COVID-19 Heroes category.
The department says it grew significantly in services, partnerships and staff capacity during her tenure. Initiatives developed in those years include:
- The St. Mary’s County Health Hub, which has been recognized as a Model Practice by the National Association of County and City Health Officials, or NACCHO, and has won awards from the Maryland Association of Counties and the Maryland Public Health Association.
- School-based health centers.
- Public health laboratories. NACCHO recognized the department this summer for its public health lab expansion and safety work.
- An asthma control program, also named a NACCHO Model Practice.
- Expanded behavioral health and community wellness services.
In 2021, the department earned national accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board, a voluntary review of whether a local health department meets national standards.
The department’s work has continued to expand this year. In September, the Chronicle reported on a $3.5 million care access plan launched in St. Mary’s.
National profile
Brewster also built a statewide and national profile. She serves on NACCHO’s board of directors and previously co-chaired the Maryland Commission on Public Health. She also served as president of the Maryland Association of County Health Officers.
In August, NACCHO gave her its 2026 National Champion of Local Governmental Public Health Award, presented at its annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky. NACCHO cited her advocacy for evidence-based policy and her work on Maryland’s public health transformation efforts.
“Serving as Health Officer for St. Mary’s County has been one of the greatest privileges of my professional life,” Brewster said in the announcement. She credited the department’s staff, county leaders, community partners and residents, and said she has “tremendous confidence in the team that will carry this important work forward.”
What happens next
Brewster’s departure comes as the department heads into the winter months and the county’s next budget cycle. The commissioners who will help choose her successor include whoever is seated after the Nov. 3 election.
The department said updates on the leadership transition will be posted at smchd.org.
