Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey is stepping down from her role as the head of the state agency.
According to a release from Governor Bill Lee’s office, Piercey is accepting a role in the private sector. Her last day in the position will be May 31.
“Lisa led our state’s health response through one of the most challenging crises Tennessee has faced, and I commend her faithful service to Tennesseans,” said Governor Lee. “She has played an invaluable role in my cabinet, and I wish her much success as she enters the private sector.”
The governor’s office detailed that she was the “youngest female health commissioner appointed to the role” when she joined the Lee administration in 2019.
As the head of the agency and a member of the Governor’s Unified Command Group, Piercey led the state’s efforts in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which included educating the state’s residents and organizing mass testing and vaccination campaign to slow the spread of the virus.
“I am deeply grateful for the privilege of serving Governor Lee and Tennesseans for the last three and a half years, particularly through the enormous challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Piercy “I have seen firsthand the unparalleled dedication of our public health workforce, and I am confident that they will continue driving positive health outcomes for Tennessee.”
A separate statement from the Department of Health detailed she will assume a role in health care investment because “her background in clinical medicine, health system operations, and public policy will offer a unique perspective to help accelerate the growth and innovation of health care companies.”
Lee did not immediately detail a successor, saying an individual will be named in the coming weeks.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Lisa Piercey” by Tennessee Department of Health.
