Deschutes County MRC Unit Director Carissa Heinige Recognized as Outstanding New Leader at National Summit

Heather Kaisner, the Public Health Director for Deschutes County, commended Carissa Heinige for her exceptional integration and engagement during her first year of leadership in the National MRC Network. This recognition came at the 2024 Medical Reserve Corps National Summit where Heinige was awarded an Outstanding New Leader award.

Deschutes County joined the national MRC network in 2023 with Heinige serving as the Unit Director for the County’s MRC in addition to her role as the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Under her leadership, the Deschutes County MRC has successfully recruited over 100 volunteers within a year. These volunteers have been trained to be prepared to respond in the event of a crisis.

In addition to this, Heinige has engaged volunteers in other activities such as assisting with health fairs, preparing kits for vulnerable communities, and supporting crisis intervention training with local law enforcement agencies. The MRC National Summit is an annual event hosted by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and saw participation from over 600 MRC leaders this year.