Allegan County has appointed Jacqueline Billette as its next health officer, pending final approval from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Billette, originally from the Traverse City area, joins the county from the Central Michigan District Health Department where she served multiple counties in Michigan. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English and public health. During her introduction at a commissioner meeting, Billette expressed her passion for public health and community service.
As the new health officer, Billette plans to focus on community education and relationship-building. She emphasized the importance of providing individuals with tools to make informed decisions about their own health and lifestyle choices. Transparency, clear communication, and addressing community concerns were highlighted as priorities moving forward. The previous health officer, Angelique Joynes, resigned in January after serving for a decade. The county received over 20 applicants for the role and eventually selected Billette as the top candidate following a thorough and diligent selection process that included multiple rounds of interviews with questions covering various public health scenarios and input from officials and staff members. Commissioner Dean Kapenga praised the selection process and expressed his satisfaction with Billette emerging as the top candidate. The board is optimistic about the new leadership in public health and looks forward to the positive impact Billette will have on the community.