CDH names new administrator, managers

Central District Health (CDH) has named Curtis Loveless as the new administrator for the Division of Community and Environmental Health. Loveless spent 17 years working at the Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid. At CDH he manages a range of programs that focus on monitoring, education, outreach and evaluating opportunities for positive healthy change. He holds a Bachelor of Science in health science with an emphasis in public health from Brigham Young University-Idaho, and a master’s degree in public health from A.T. Still University.

Heidi Hopkins has been named public health preparedness program manager. Hopkins has worked at CDH for two and a half years, most recently as program manager for the COVID-19 Epidemiology Strike Team. Prior to her employment at CDH, she worked in the department of kinesiology at Boise State University and with St. Luke’s Sports Medicine Outreach Athletic Training. Hopkins graduated with a Bachelor of Science in athletic training from University of Nevada Las Vegas and holds a master’s degree in sports science from University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.

Maria Ortega has been hired as the new CDH marketing and communications manager. Ortega has previously worked for seven years as the marketing and communications manager for the University of Idaho Boise. In her new role, she’ll oversee CDH’s public information office and marketing program. Ortega holds a master’s degree in public relations from Washington State University.

Dillin Richards has joined CDH as the new Community and Environmental Health Communicable Disease Control manager. Richards graduated with a master‘s in public health from Boise State University and most recently worked as a public health investigator with Dallas County Health & Human Services on its MPOX response.