MSDH Names New State Epidemiologist and Deputy State Epidemiologist

Jackson, Miss. — The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has appointed Dr. Renia Dotson as the new State Epidemiologist.

As Director of the Center for Public Health Transformation, Dotson was already responsible for all clinical and field services throughout the state. Before coming to MSDH in 2024, she practiced as a colon and rectal surgeon for 23 years, mainly at Delta Regional Medical Center, where she demonstrated clinical and administrative leadership as chief of staff, chief of surgery, and regional and institutional medical director of trauma. She currently serves on the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure, the Mississippi Board of Nursing, the Office of Mississippi Physician Workforce Advisory Board, and the Mississippi State Medical Association Board of Trustees. She is also chairman of the Board of Regents at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn.

Dotson, a native of Monroeville, Ala., earned a BS in Biology from the University of the South and an MD from the University of South Alabama. She completed her surgery residency at Boston University Surgical Residency and fellowship at the Colon and Rectal Clinic at the University of Texas Medical Center. She also earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) and MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Theresa Kittle, an MSDH epidemiologist of 14 years, is the new Deputy State Epidemiologist. She has also served as Director of the Office of Epidemiology, where she administered the disease surveillance and electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) systems. Kittle earned her BS in Clinical Laboratory Sciences from the University of South Alabama and worked as a medical technologist prior to earning her MPH with an emphasis in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Southern Mississippi.

“I’m very grateful that Dr. Dotson has agreed to brush off her MPH and take on this task,” said Dr. Dan Edney, MSDH Executive Director and State Health Officer. “I have tremendous confidence in our new epidemiology team. They recently quickly contained a salmonella outbreak and norovirus outbreak, which showed tremendous teamwork. They’re doing an amazing job safeguarding the health of Mississippians.”

The Office of Epidemiology watches occurrences and trends of reportable and chronic diseases, investigates outbreaks of diseases, helps interrupt outbreaks or disease problems, and reports morbidity incidence and trends to the medical community and other target groups.