Silver State Times

Last month, Gov. Steve Sisolak announced he was proud to have Dr. Malinda Southard as the executive director of the Patient Protection Commission (PPC), according to the press release shared by the government of Nevada.

“I am proud that Dr. Southard has accepted the position to lead our Patient Protection Commission,” said Gov. Sisolak. “Throughout the pandemic she has worked diligently to support our state and I am confident she will bring her strong work ethic, leadership skills and understanding of the diverse needs of Nevadans to this position. I look forward to what the PPC will accomplish in its next chapter.”

According to the release, Dr. Southard previously served as Section Manager at the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Public Health Preparedness Program, where she led efforts to back the state’s response to COVID-19 while collaborating with government and municipal agencies, along with Nevada’s health industry.

“I am excited and honored for the opportunity to bring my background in public health and commitment to patient care to this position,” said Dr. Southard. “The PPC has begun valuable work to support Nevadans and I know that together we can work to improve health care access and address critical issues for the good of all patients.”

The news release reported that PPC was established by Gov. Sisolak in 2019 and transferred to DHHS in order to better serve citizens with Dr. Southard reporting to her new role on April 4.