RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina’s public health director has resigned, 18 months after her appointment.

The secretary of the state’s Department of Health and Human Services announced she accepted Dr. Laura Gerald’s resignation Tuesday, effective immediately. Secretary Aldona Wos gave no reason for the resignation.

Gerald had two titles as state health director and director of the agency’s division of public health. Former Governor Beverly Perdue appointed her in January 2012, when the agency merged its division of public health and office of rural health and community care.

Wos informed division employees Tuesday evening.

Wos says Danny Staley will temporarily serve as the division’s acting director. His title has been deputy director.

Robin Cummings, director of the agency’s office of rural health and community care, will temporarily serve as acting state health director.

Related Stories
‹
As Ebola Spreads in Congo, a Radio Station Tries to Stop Health Misinformation
A show from Radio Télévision Mont Bleu has emerged as a vital tool to win over some residents who have been skeptical about the illness.
FDA’s New Playbook: Lots of Media Announcements But Not Much Rulemaking
FDA officials in the Trump administration have found a quicker approach: announce sweeping changes first and deal with the regulations later.
NC Public Health Pathways' Internship and Professional Programs — On Air Today (April 23, 2026)
Meghan Lassiter and Alexa Doran join Chatham County's Kyle Chambers and 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Thursday, Apr. 23.
'Keeping People Safe': North Carolina's Office of Violence Prevention Reaches 3-Year Anniversary
North Carolina's Office of Violence Prevention recently surpassed its three-year anniversary, continuing to use public health approaches to address the issue of gun violence.
On Air Today: The Importance of Vaccines, with the Chatham County Board of Health
With measles cases on the rise, the Chatham County Board of Health recently issued a statement urging everyone to get vaccinated.
US Vaccine Advisers Say Not All Babies Need a Hepatitis B Shot at Birth
ACIP members voted Friday to end the longstanding recommendation that all U.S. babies get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born.
Anti-Science Bills Hit Statehouses, Stripping Away Public Health Protections Built Over a Century
More than 420 anti-science bills attacking longstanding public health protections have been introduced in states across the U.S. this year.
Kennedy Tries To Defend COVID-19 Vaccine Stance in Raucous Senate Hearing
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., facing pointed bipartisan questioning at a rancorous three-hour Senate committee hearing on Thursday, tried to defend his efforts to pull back COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.
UNC Health Infectious Disease Researcher Defends mRNA Vaccine Methods After Federal Funding Cuts
Following the criticism of mRNA vaccine strategies by federal leaders, UNC Health's Dr. David Wohl shared why he supports the research.
CDC Shooting Marks Latest in a String of Hostility Directed at Health Workers. Many Aren’t Surprised
The attack in Atlanta happened in the face of ongoing public health misinformation and animosity about the safety of immunizations.
›