At its July meeting, the Rotary Club of Christiansburg-Blacksburg awarded its 2021 Professional Leadership Award to Dr. Noelle Bissell, Director of the New River Health District for her leadership of the New River Valley’s COVID-19 response.
The award ceremony took place during the club’s first in-person meeting since March 2020. The Professional Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have gone beyond the boundaries of conventional professional success by demonstrating exceptional leadership in the development and implementation of programs beneficial to the community. The award has been made annually since 2000 to individuals in diverse professions such as technology, education, medicine, finance, and public safety.
In normal times, Dr. Bissell’s job leading the New River Health District encompasses preventing disease and promoting health and wellness in all counties and localities of the New River Valley with a particular focus on families, children, mothers, environmental health, international travel, immunization, health education, food safety, and communicable disease prevention and control.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the health district’s focus has shifted to keeping local communities safe, getting the newest and most accurate information to residents, COVID-19 testing and mass vaccination clinics, and now, reaching out to those who have not yet gotten vaccinated and dispelling myths.
Throughout this time, Dr. Bissell has been the face of the NRV’s COVID response and the NRV Public Health Task Force through her many public Zoom briefings and press calls and has guided the development of the NRVRoadToWellness.com website to provide the public with local COVID information, resources, volunteer opportunities, and vaccination signups for residents and businesses.
NRV Public Health Task Force member Kevin Byrd, who also serves as the Executive Director of the New River Regional Commission, said of Dr. Bissell, “She has shone brightly.” Byrd went on to say that Dr. Bissell questioned many boundaries to find what was needed to minimize the impact of COVID in the NRV community. “She welcomed everyone to contribute, ‘How do we do this together?’ Her leadership style is why we’re here [meeting in person] today.”
Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson, co-chair of the NRV Public Health Task Force with Dr. Bissell, talked about how difficult the pandemic has been, in part due to its impact on society, friends, and family. He said, “We needed a general, and we got one” in Dr. Bissell. “Her grace under fire has been incredible. She fought alongside us every day.”
Alan Fabian, CEO of LewisGale Hospital Montgomery and member of the NRV Public Health Task Force, shared insights about Dr. Bissell’s adaptive and highly effective style that was important in such rapidly shifting circumstances. Fabian said, “She knows how to quickly seize opportunities, communicate effectively, and hold people accountable and responsible. Instead of overpowering people, she worked with them. We as the task force wanted to do nothing but support her.”
In accepting the award, Dr. Bissell said, “I’m honored and I’m humbled, but I didn’t do it myself.” She acknowledged the NRV Public Health Task Force and her family. “Everyone that really mattered supported me and I really needed that,” she said.
And she took one more opportunity to reiterate that the vaccines are safe and effective and how important it is for everyone who can to get vaccinated to keep our communities safe and keep new COVID variants from forming.