Karen Shelton, MD, has been appointed Virginia's state health commissioner by Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Dr. Shelton first joined public health after treating patients in Virginia as an obstetrician and gynecologist for nearly two decades, according to an April 20 news release. She first joined public service with the Virginia Department of Health.
Dr. Shelton spent five years guiding the Mount Rogers Health District through the COVID-19 pandemic and opioid epidemic. She currently serves as chief medical officer and vice president of Bristol Regional Medical Center in Bristol, Tenn., and Marion, Va.-based Smyth County Community Hospital in the Ballad Health System.