Charlie previously held several positions in state government, including serving as State Epidemiologist and Director of the Bureau of Epidemiology and Public Health Informatics at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Charlie started his career at JCDHE in the mid-1990s, first as a communicable disease investigator in what was then the Health Education Division.

Charlie earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of Kansas.

As Deputy Director, Dennis partners with the Director and Executive Team in essential leadership, strategic planning and organizational development, and performance management activities. He provides more detailed oversight functions for the childcare licensing division, the community health division, the environmental division, the health services division and the public health emergency preparedness program.

Mary currently works to support an environmental health team of 16 staff in the areas of administration and permitting, air quality, aquatics, onsite septic, solid waste management, sustainability and environmental public health education. Mary and her team work to protect public health and the environment through education and outreach on environmental health and sustainability.

Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in public health. She is a graduate of the University of West Florida, Kansas Leadership Institute and the University of Virginia School of Business – LEAD program. She is an instructor for the Johnson County Government’s LEAP (Leadership Empowers All People) team in “emotional intelligence” and past “work of leadership” courses. Mary also serves as a county staff contributor to the JoCo Solid Waste Management Committee, the JoCo Sustainability Committee, the JoCo Development Network Council, DHE Health Equity team and the Environmental Justice Subcommittee. Mary also holds a certificate from Cornell University in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.

In addition to her nursing degrees, Stacie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and an Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Care from Johnson County Community College.  

As Health Services Division Director Stacie, along with her Assistant Director, oversees the operations of Clinical Services, Immunizations, Laboratory Services, Disease Investigation and Tuberculosis Case Management. Other duties include grant management, budgetary oversight and participation in multiple internal and external committees focused on family planning, maternal child health, immunization practice, community partnerships and organizational improvement.  

Previous roles include Respiratory Therapist at Baptist Medical Center, staff nursing at the Midwest Center for Eating Disorders and the Brookside Emergency Department, Infection Control Management at Advent Health Shawnee Mission and nearly 10 years in the insurance industry. 

In her role as Division Director of Childcare Licensing she listens to the concerns of providers, advocates for them as appropriate, and she and her staff offer education for providers on regulation and compliance. She ensures quality education courses are offered by her staff and promotes partners education courses. Additionally, she hosts monthly provider calls for childcare providers in Johnson, Miami and Franklin counties to keep them updated on information and regulatory changes. She also shares resources and brings in guest speakers that will be helpful to the childcare providers in her counties.  

Eldonna is a member of the inaugural class of Kansas Public Health Leadership Institute and served on their advisory board after program completion. Eldonna serves as the JCDHE representative to many department committees. She is active in Kansas Public Health Association and American Public Health Association, serving in leadership roles in both organizations. She also serves on the Council on Education for Public Health, the Johnson County Public Health Leadership Council, the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel, the Child Care Aware of Kansas board, the Kansas Public Health Workforce Development Coordinating Council and the KC Metro Early Education Taskforce. 

As the Community Health Division Director, she supervises the initiatives, programs, projects and events of the division, manages grant and county budgets, assists with the community health assessment /health improvement process, and builds community partnerships and collaborations. She also manages media requests, writes press releases and writes/coordinates department communications. She began her career at JCDHE as a Health Educator.

Previous employment includes serving as a Program Director at the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City and as an Associate Program Director at the American Heart Association (CT).

Barbara holds a master’s degree in Social Work from Fordham University, New York, NY, a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Southern Connecticut State University, Hamden, CT and an Associate’s Degree in Human Services from Norwalk Community College, Norwalk, CT.

In her role she oversees a team of epidemiologists who collect and analyze data to inform policies, strategies, and interventions that improve our community’s health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Elizabeth led Johnson County in all aspects of the epidemiologic response, including marshaling the resources of over 60 staff, including epidemiologists, case investigators and contact tracers, along with advising county and school policymakers on COVID-19 data and prevention strategies.

In addition to her role at JCDHE, Elizabeth also facilitates workshops throughout the country for the FBI and CDC teaching local law enforcement and public health practitioners how to conduct joint investigations in the event of bioterrorism and other suspicious outbreaks. In 2021, Elizabeth was named by de Beaumont Foundation as one of the top 40 public health leaders under 40. Prior to her current role, she served as a population health epidemiologist at JCDHE and an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Before joining the Department of Health and Environment, Tom was the Grants Manager for Johnson County Government and then the Director of Finance for the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. 

Tom earned a Master of Business Administration from MidAmerica Nazarene University, as well as a professional certificate in Public Performance Management from Rutgers University.

In her role as the Organizational Development Division Director, she focuses on improving the department’s competency, capability, and capacity through the alignment of strategy, structure, people, rewards, metrics and management processes. Debra is responsible for leading accreditation efforts, strategic planning and performance management activities, coordinating the quality improvement program as well as supporting the workforce development program.

Debra has served in public health since 1997, starting out with a focus on direct patient care in women’s health, STD/HIV and prenatal clinics. Debra contributed as a program manager in clinical services for 14 years before progressing to her current role as a division director.   

Joseph LeMaster, MD, MPH is a full Professor and Director of the Research Division of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) in Kansas City, Kansas. He grew up in Nampa, Idaho and received his undergraduate education at Northwest Nazarene University (Psychology) and Boise State University (Health Sciences). He attended medical school and completed residency training at the University of Kansas Medical Center. After completing a Family Medicine residency at John Peter Smith Hospital, from 1990-2000 he served as a physician and health system leader in hospitals and community health projects under the United Mission to Nepal, based first in Okhaldhunga District then in the capital city, Kathmandu. He received his MPH from the University of Washington in 2002, with a focus on epidemiology. Since returning to the University of Kansas in 2011, he has worked with non-profit organizations and patient groups to engage primary care practices to implement practice-improvement interventions in the routine delivery of primary care, with a special emphasis on the needs of those with limited English proficiency. He is a practicing family physician in the University of Kansas Health system, with an emphasis on the care of refugees.

Education and Training

• BA, Psychology, Northwest Nazarene College, Nampa, ID
• BS, Health Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID
• MPH, Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
• Residency, Family Medicine, John Peter Smith Hospital, Fort Worth, TX

Licensure, Accreditations and Certifications

• American Board of Family Medicine
• Medical Doctor, Kansas Board of Healing Arts
• Medical Physician & Surgeon, Missouri Board of the Healing Arts

Dr. Peterson received her bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Kansas State University and her medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at the University of Alabama – Birmingham in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and remained there for her fellowship in Forensic Pathology. Prior to joining Johnson County, she was at the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office in Kansas City, Missouri for eight years, including three years as Chief Medical Examiner. 

Dr. Peterson has presented lectures at national meetings and co-authored abstracts and scientific articles on multiple topics within the areas of forensic pathology and toxicology and other sciences. She is on clinical faculty at several universities and medical schools. She educates undergraduate, pathology assistant, and medical students in addition to pathology residents and fellows on proper death certification and multiple other forensic topics.   

Dr. Peterson remains a resource for coroners and physicians in Kansas and Missouri for questions or issues on death certification, death investigation, and other forensic-related topics. 

Dr. Beaver received his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 2012 and completed his internship and residency in emergency medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winstom-Salem, NC. Dr. Beaver also completed a fellowship in Emergency Medical Services and Disaster Medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Dr. Beaver holds a faculty appointment as Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he oversees the EMS Fellowship Program. Dr. Beaver also serves as an EMS Physician Advisor with the University of Kansas Health System. In addition, Dr. Beaver serves as the Medical Director for HealthStarOne Critical Care and Specialty Transport as well as for the Bonner Springs Fire Department and the Edwardsville Fire Department.

Dr. Beaver is board-certified in Emergency Medicine and subspecialty-boarded in Emergency Medical Services (EMS).