Council Members
Dr. Veronica Gunn , Tennessee Department of Health,
Chief Medical Officer
For more than a decade, Dr. Gunn has advocated through her clinical practice, research and policy efforts for the utilization of effective, evidence-based strategies to improve health. In 2002, Dr. Gunn joined the faculty in the Division of General Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she was an active clinician, teacher and researcher. In 2005, Dr Gunn became the Medical Director of the Governor’s Office of Children’s Care Coordination, where she worked collaboratively with other child-serving State Departments, community agencies and academic partners to apply evidence-based or promising practices to reduce infant mortality, improve maternal health, and increase EPSDT screening.
Recently, Dr Gunn assumed the position of Chief Medical Officer of the Tennessee Department of Health. In this capacity, Gunn serves as an advisor to the Commissioner on matters of health policy and assist in setting priorities for the Department. Gunn collaborates with the Department’s executive leadership team to assess the health needs of the state, to establish health objectives, to develop and maintain an appropriately organized infrastructure, and to develop, implement, and evaluate coordinated, effective public health programs.
Dr. Gunn received her undergraduate degree from Rhodes College, and medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She completed pediatric residency and chief residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and obtained a Masters of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and is board certified in general pediatrics.