ARLINGTON, Va. – October 21, 2026 -- The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) has named Daniel Edney, MD, state health officer for the Mississippi State Department of Health, as its 84th president. He succeeds Manisha Juthani, MD, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
Edney plans to focus on maternal and infant health and rural health
Edney intends to center his presidency on maternal and infant health, rural health and promoting the work of states and territories. He said the nation's public health leaders face increasingly complex challenges and that he will work with colleagues on policies and partnerships to support a healthier nation.
Edney rose from Mississippi's first chief medical officer to state health officer in 2022
Edney joined the Mississippi State Department of Health in 2021 as its first chief medical officer. He then became deputy state health officer and, in August 2022, state health officer. His initiatives in that role include maternal health and chronic disease prevention.
Before entering public service, he practiced internal medicine in Vicksburg for more than three decades. He has practiced primary care in Mississippi since 1991.
Addiction medicine expertise shapes Edney's profile as the opioid crisis continues
Edney is board-certified in internal medicine with a subspecialty in addiction medicine. Since 2013, he has focused on treating substance use disorders and supporting recovery efforts across Mississippi. ASTHO CEO Joseph Kanter, MD, MPH, cited Edney's frontline work on the opioid crisis as a reason for his selection.
Edney is a past president of the Mississippi State Medical Association. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. He earned his medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Virginia.
Maine CDC director Puthiery Va will serve as president-elect
Puthiery Va, DO, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, will serve as ASTHO president-elect. ASTHO represents the public health agencies of the United States, its territories, freely associated states and Washington, D.C., which together employ more than 100,000 public health professionals.