She begins her new role at OHA Aug. 19 after two years as Polk County’s public health administrator
PORTLAND, Ore.—Naomi Adeline-Biggs, MBBS, MPH, Polk County’s public health administrator since 2022, has been appointed permanent director of Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) Public Health Division, effective Aug. 19.
As Polk County Public Health administrator, Dr. Adeline-Biggs has overseen 25 programs. She commissioned the 2024-2027 Polk County Public Health Strategic Plan and piloted a Health Services Communication Assessment that incorporated administrative services, public health, behavioral health and developmental disability services to improve critical public health services and information sharing with communities. She also established an epidemiology team to improve collaboration between staff involved in disease investigation, data analysis and communications. And she relaunched the county’s Babies First! and CaCoon Home Visiting programs after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 and limited nurse capacity.
During her time at Polk County, Dr. Adeline-Biggs also served as board chair for the Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, where she presided over monthly board meetings, testified before state legislators in support of public health modernization, and presented about public health funding to the Association of Oregon Counties.
Dr. Adeline-Biggs came to Oregon after serving the World Health Organization (WHO) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Seychelles in East Africa, providing incident management expertise and leadership in communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS, geographic information systems (GIS), laboratory services and immunizations.
“I’m delighted to join Oregon Health Authority at a time when the agency pursues a critical 2030 goal of eliminating health inequities – a goal I enthusiastically support,” Dr. Adeline-Biggs said. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with the Public Health Division staff and partners across the state to improve the lives of everyone in Oregon.”
OHA Director Dr. Sejal Hathi said she’s “thrilled to have Dr. Adeline-Biggs join the OHA leadership team and lead our state Public Health Division work as we continue to pursue our 2030 goal of eliminating health inequities.”
“Dr. Adeline-Biggs has demonstrated, throughout her career, a genuine commitment to ensuring all people and communities can achieve optimum physical, mental, and social well-being through partnerships, prevention, and access to quality, affordable health care,” Dr. Hathi said.
As a physician in her home country of Seychelles, Dr. Adeline-Biggs advocated for large-scale policy changes that led to reduced health disparities and widespread promotion of health literacy, particularly among LGBTQ+ and incarcerated patients. During the pandemic, as a WHO employee, she stood up preparedness and response efforts and developed a rapid data reporting system.
Cara Biddlecom, who has served as the Public Health Division’s interim director since October 2023 and at OHA since 2008, is leaving the agency Friday, July 19, when she plans to relocate to the East Coast.
Biddlecom has brought “transformational leadership to the Public Health Division at a critical time for our state and our agency,” said Dr. Hathi. “She has helped grow the division, implement public health modernization, increase investments in local, Tribal, community-based and state public health, and sustain infrastructure for health equity in the Public Health Division. I’m incredibly grateful for her leadership and wish her the very best.”
Kirsten Aird, the Public Health Division’s interim deputy director, will serve as interim state public health director until Dr. Adeline-Biggs starts Aug. 19.
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