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To honor and recognize Ms. Nancie Bechtel for her 7 years of distinguished service as the Assistant Health Commissioner and Chief Nursing Officer for Columbus Public Health and thank her for her service to the residents of the City of Columbus and Central Ohio.
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WHEREAS, Ms. Nancie Bechtel, holds a Masters of Public Health degree in Health Services Management and Policy and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from The Ohio State University Colleges of Public Health and Nursing- she began her distinguished career with the City of Columbus in 2011- however before coming to Columbus Public Health, she served as the Executive Director of the Central Ohio Trauma System (COTS) for 13 years where she was a champion for emergency care in Central Ohio - her prior clinical nursing career included work as an emergency department care manager for Nationwide Children’s Hospital and as a nurse at Mount Carmel Health System and Grant Medical Center; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Bechtel’s commitment to excellence allowed her to serve the nearly one million residents of Columbus and Worthington, Ohio - She led the department’s nursing functions; addressed community health issues; served as a liaison with other healthcare, academic and community partners; and assumed a lead role in responding to public health issues and threats; as an administrator she oversaw Columbus Public Health’s Family Health and Neighborhood Health Divisions, whose programs include perinatal and newborn home visiting; injury prevention; child fatality review; fetal infant mortality review; WIC; substance use disorders; dental clinic and sealants; health equity; and chronic disease prevention- she also provided significant support, guidance and direction to a number of other programs and initiatives including but not limited to the Columbus and Franklin County Local Food Plan, the city’s community gardens team, T-21 the legislation to prevent people under the age of 21 from purchasing tobacco products; the Office of Minority Health, and more; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Bechtel has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues, she is a member of a number of professional organizations including the Ohio Nurses Association, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the Ohio Public Health Association - she has also been published in professional publications, given hundreds of presentations, and received a number of awards: including being recognized by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as one of 24 exemplary “public health nurse leaders” in the U. S.; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Bechtel will be missed for her talent, expertise, and her commitment to public service; she will also be remembered for her quick smile, her professionalism and her ability to get things done; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby express its appreciation for the outstanding contributions that have been made by Ms. Nancie Bechtel during her 7 years of public service, education and advocacy to the City of Columbus and this Council thanks Nancie for her service to the City of Columbus and to the residents of this community.