Page 11 - Florida Sentinel 5-20-16 Online Edition

State
Local
Governor Names Howard University Grad New Surgeon General And Secretary Of Health
Miss Blake Pageant Celebrated 60 Years
The 60th anniversary of the crowning of Miss Howard W. Blake pageant was held on Tuesday evening April 19th in the theatre at the school. (Photos by BRUNSON)
TALLAHASSEE --- Gov- ernor Rick Scott has named Dr. Celeste Philip as State Surgeon General and Secretary of the Florida De- partment of Health. Dr. Philip has served as Acting Surgeon General since March.
Governor Scott said, “I am proud to appoint Dr. Philip as the State Surgeon General and Secretary of DOH. Since becoming Acting Surgeon General this spring, Dr. Philip has met with community health leaders on a statewide tour to discuss how DOH can continue to collaborate on improving the health of families and visitors in our state.
Dr. Philip also oversaw the recent launch of DOH’s New HIV Data Center and Florida’s Healthy Babies Ini- tiative. She has also been working diligently with county health departments and local mosquito control districts to ensure our state is ready to combat the possible spread of the Zika virus. I look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Philip and DOH to protect public health in Florida.”
Dr. Philip said, “I am honored to be named State Surgeon General and Secre- tary of DOH and look forward to continuing to serve Florida’s families and visitors. With our state and local part- ners, we will maintain our commitment to addressing community health needs, de- veloping HIV reduction and prevention strategies and preparing our state to combat viruses like Zika. I know Florida is positioned to be a national leader in public health and I am dedicated to working toward this goal on behalf of Florida’s residents and visitors.”
Dr. Philip has devoted her career to public health and has served in various
DR. CELESTE PHILIP
... Named State Surgeon General and Secretary of the Florida Department of Health
roles within DOH since 2008. She has served as in- terim director in three county health departments, and as interim bureau chief for the DOH Bureau of Communica- ble Diseases. She was assis- tant director for public health in DOH in Volusia County and medical director for DOH in Polk County, where she served on the board of the Lakeland Volunteers in Med- icine.
Dr. Philip is board certi- fied in family medicine as well as preventive medicine and public health. She is president-elect of the American Heart Association’s six-state Greater Southeast Affiliate and served at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer.
Dr. Philip graduated from Howard University in Washington DC. She later re- ceived a Master of Public Health in maternal and child health and a Doctor of Medi- cine from Loma Linda Uni- versity, in California.
She completed her family Medicine Residency at the Florida Hospital, in Orlando and her Preventive Medicine Residency with CDC.
Event Coordinator, Mrs. Tameca Johnson and Jesse Salter, Blake Principal.
Mistress and Master of Cere- monies for the event were Be- linda Womack-Christy and George Nix, former announcer, Smooth Jazz, WSJT 94.1.
Shelby Renfoe, center was crowned Miss Howard W. Blake High 2016. The first runner-up was Destinee Filmore and Destiny Smith was the second runner-up.
Among those who enjoyed the pageant were: Ret. Capt. and Mrs. Bruce (Casey) Curry and Ms. Vera Cassell.
Former Miss Howard W. Blake queens in attendance were: Edith Randolph, 1970; Jacqueline Nickson Cotman, 1964; Dolores Hodgins McIntosh, 1961, Patricia Beacham, 1958; and Helen Louise Rivers was the last Miss Don Thompson crowned in 1956.
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 11-A