About our Health Officer

Miranda Swanson, MPH, Health Officer

In May 2007, Miranda Swanson was appointed Administrator of Florida Department of Health in Indian River County by the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Health with the concurrence of Indian River County Board of County Commissioners.  As Health Officer for Indian River County, with a population of over 157,413, she monitors the community’s health indicator outcomes, and advocates to improve, protect, and maintain the health and safety of all citizens and visitors of Indian River County.  Miranda leads the health department and works in collaboration with public/private partnership of county, state, and other community-based organizations to achieve public health improvements.  Responsibilities include providing the oversight and direction in planning, organizing, staffing, coordinating, reviewing, and budgeting public health programs within the health department. With a staff of 82 employees, the health department’s current operating budget is $5.4 million.  

In her role as Health Officer, Miranda currently serves as the following:

• Children's Services Advisory Committee, Chair
• United Way of Indian River County, Board Member
• We Care Foundation, Board Member
• School Health Advisory Committee, Vice Chair
• Early Learning Coalition of Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee Counties, Board Member
• Child Abuse Death Review Circuit 19, Staff Lead
• Central Florida Coalition, Chair
• Member of all local Community Health Improvement Plan groups
• Member of FDOH Health Equity and Environmental Health Councils

Prior to serving in the role as Health Officer, Miranda began working at the health department in July 2004 as the Assistant Director for the department.  In this role, she focused on many different areas, including community assessment, strategic planning, quality improvement activities, disaster response, and managing daily operations of the health department.    

Before coming to Florida, Miranda served as the Vision Project Manager at the Emergency Medical Services Authority in Sacramento, California.  While in this position, she managed a project to improve EMS statewide, culminating in the creation of the first comprehensive statewide plan for Emergency Medical Services in 30 years.  Her career in public health began at Winnebago County Health Department in Rockford, Illinois, where she spent three years overseeing a provider network for a healthcare system for foster children for a nine county area.

Miranda earned a master’s degree in public health from Northern Illinois University.  She received her B.A. in Exercise Science/Sports Medicine from St. Olaf College and has had extensive Incident Command System training and experience in disaster response.   

Miranda strives to build consensus within the health department at all levels, uniting towards a shared mission and vision, empowering employees, and celebrating achievements towards common goals.