VALLEY CITY, N.D. (CCHD) – City-County Health District (CCHD) is celebrating Theresa Will’s retirement on Friday, December 15, 2023. Will has served as a public health nurse in Barnes County since 1989. She subsequently became the RN Home Care Coordinator, directing nurses to provide safe and efficient care for clients in their homes. Will stepped into the Administrator position in 2004. Theresa galvanized her commitment to lifelong learning by working to earn her Master of Public Health Degree from North Dakota State University in 2016. In her 34 years of service, Will has been involved in a variety of public health initiatives, organizations, and projects. She has led the Barnes County Behavioral Health Coalition, a group dedicated to bringing mental health and addiction counseling services to under served rural populations. She also was an advisor for “On the Move,” a community program aimed at promoting physical activity for Barnes County that has been recognized by North Dakota for its efficacy.
She worked in public health tobacco prevention, helping to see the state’s first local ordinance – prohibiting the sale of flavored e-cigarette and vapor products in Valley City – being adopted. This ordinance has served as a model to encourage other North Dakota communities to follow suit. Will also helped coordinate numerous grants, bringing in over $3.35 million, to support the health of local and regional residents.
In June, Theresa was awarded the Outstanding Service award at the 2023 Rural and Public Health Awards Banquet, which recognizes outstanding North Dakota rural health and public health advocates for their accomplishments. This award, presented by the North Dakota Public Health Association, honors an individual who has exhibited continued excellence in the field of public health.
“The District Board of Health is grateful for Theresa’s leadership and we wish her the best in retirement.” states Tom Overn, Board Chair. “Katie Beyer will begin as the CCHD Administrator on January 1, 2024.”
City-County Health District will host an Open House in honor of Theresa Will’s retirement on Friday, December 15 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM in the CCHD lobby, 415 2nd Avenue NE, Ste. 101.