South Heartland District Health Department

South Heartland District Health Director Michele Bever Announces Retirement

July 02, 2026

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Hastings, NE – The Board of Health for South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD), serving Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster counties, today announced the retirement of health director, Michele Bever, effective March, 2027. After 23 years of dedicated service to public health in south central Nebraska, including more than 18 years as health director, Bever will be stepping down to begin her retirement.

Under Bever’s leadership, SHDHD has successfully navigated unprecedented public health challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, while expanding essential wellness and preventive care programs for the health district. During her tenure as director, the department grew from 8 staff to 28 staff and earned national accreditation status through the Public Health Accreditation Board in March 2020.

Over the years, Bever grew the department’s programing to include immunizations, chronic disease prevention, mental well-being, substance use prevention, senior health, and access to care. More recent program additions include preventive oral health care, home visitation (Healthy Families America program), STI testing, and environmental health services - air quality, water quality, lead poisoning prevention.

"Serving our communities and working to meet public health needs in our district has been the honor of a lifetime," said Bever. "One of my favorite parts of this work has been building amazing relationships with community partners and working together on shared goals for health improvement. I am also incredibly proud of our SHDHD team. Together, we have navigated some difficult times and we have strengthened our community's health infrastructure. I look forward to watching the department continue to evolve going forward."

"Michele’s commitment and passion for public health have set us on a good path for the future,” said Board President Sandra (Sam) Nejezchleb of Clay County. We will be searching for the right person to lead the department in order to successfully navigate the challenges and take full advantage of the exciting opportunities in public health right now,” she said.

At their Board Meeting on Wednesday morning, July 1, the SHDHD Board of Health appointed a succession committee to oversee the process of selecting a new health director.

For more information about SHDHD’s services, public health initiatives, and community programs, please visit www.southheartlandhealth.ne.gov.

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About South Heartland District Health Department: South Heartland District Health Department is a governmental public health department, formed by an interlocal agreement between Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster Counties. SHDHD was the first district health department formed and approved under LB692, which directed the formation of a local public health system so that all Nebraskans would have access to local public health services, and was supported, in part, with Master Tobacco Settlement Funds. Mission: The SHDHD is dedicated to preserving and improving the health of residents of Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster counties. We work with local partners to develop and implement a Community Health Improvement Plan and to provide other public health services mandated by Nebraska state statutes. SHDHD’s vision is “Healthy People in Healthy Communities.”