FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 8, 2023

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Two employees with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) are among the de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 Under 40 in Public Health, which recognizes rising leaders who are working to improve the health of communities across the nation.  

The de Beaumont Foundation announced its 40 Under 40 Class of 2023 this week after reviewing nominations from hundreds of professionals working to benefit state or local public health across the United States.   

DHEC honorees include: 

• Karla Buru, DrPH, Chief of Staff; and  
• Jervelle Fort, Upstate Community Engagement Manager – East  

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the work Karla and Jervelle do to promote community health and help achieve DHEC’s vision of healthy people living in healthy communities,” said Dr. Edward Simmer, DHEC director. “They are both devoted to public service and the health and wellbeing of all South Carolinians, and this honor serves as a reminder of the exceptional employees we have here at DHEC. We thank the de Beaumont Foundation for giving them this well-deserved recognition.” 

As DHEC Chief of Staff, Buru assists the agency's director in the development and implementation of special projects, strategies, budgeting and agency initiatives on a day-to-day basis. She has worked in public health and health care settings in South Carolina for more than a decade. 

In the role of Community Engagement Manager, Fort manages a team of Community Engagement Specialists who cover Spartanburg, Cherokee, Union, Greenwood, Abbeville and McCormick counties. She also serves as the Community Engagement Specialist for Laurens County. Fort works to provide community partners with technical assistance to help implement Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) practices, systems and environmental changes.   

In addition to Buru and Fort, the program’s honorees include epidemiologists, program managers, researchers, and policy analysts in state, local, and territorial health departments; colleges and universities; nonprofit organizations; and the private sector. The class was selected by a distinguished panel of public health professionals for their leadership and impact on their community’s health.  

“The professionals chosen for the 40 Under 40 in Public Health Class of 2023 demonstrate the determination, commitment, innovation and resilience of the public health field,” said Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, which launched the program in 2019. “Their work is strengthening communities and improving lives, and I look forward to following their careers and learning from them.”  

Through this recognition and a two-year professional development program, honorees receive exclusive opportunities for personal enrichment and career advancement. 

For more information about the 40 Under 40 in Public Health, including a full list of honorees, visit debeaumont.org/about-40-under-40.  

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