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Roxana Ballinger, who serves as health education and community outreach manager for the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services, has been named Dare County Employee of the Month for December 2024. The award was presented to Ballinger by Dare County Department of Health & Human Services Social Services Division director Chuck Lycett during the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting that was held January 6, 2025.

Ballinger began her service to Dare County in July 2012, and in her role as health education and community outreach manager for the Department of Health & Human Services she is tasked with providing leadership and oversight for numerous public health education programs, services and initiatives throughout the Outer Banks community, as well as serving on various healthcare-related committees and task forces.

In 2014, Ballinger and former Dare County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Wally Overman established the Saving Lives Task Force. Currently co-chaired by Ballinger and Overman, the Saving Lives Task Force is a nonprofit organization and team of professionals and community members who work to help prevent substance use disorders, as well as to increase access to the effective forms of treatment and other key resources for Dare County residents in need of assistance.

In addition to her role as co-chair of the Saving Lives Task Force, Ballinger leads a unit within the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services’ Public Health Division that is comprised of nine employees who are responsible for providing outreach, public awareness, prevention and health promotion services throughout the community.

Among the many programs and initiatives the Health Education and Outreach Unit is tasked with implementing and overseeing under Ballinger’s leadership are the Community Health Needs Assessment, Women of Worth, Peer Power, Keeping Current and the Breaking Through Task Force, along with providing recovery and overdose support services—including access to a peer support specialist and post-overdose response—as well as providing health education services for adults and ensuring public health emergency preparedness.

“Over the past 12 years, Roxana has made countless contributions to help improve the health and well-being of others in the community—most notably in the efforts of substance abuse prevention and recovery work. Under Roxana’s leadership, Dare County has implemented a successful post-overdose response program, which expanded just recently to include mobile response services,” Lycett said, referring to the Mobile Recovery Support Unit that was unveiled in October 2024.

Dedicated in honor of former Dare County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman and Saving Lives Task Force Co-Chair Wally Overman, the Mobile Recovery Support Unit is a vital resource that was designed to bring life-saving support and essential services directly to individuals in rural communities throughout Dare County who are struggling with substance use issues and searching for a path toward recovery.

As he continued his Employee of the Month presentation, Lycett highlighted the fact that, over the course of the past 12 years since she began her career with Dare County, Ballinger has had a profound and positive impact not only on the members of the community she serves, but also on her colleagues within the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services.

“In addition to the significant contributions Roxana has made in the substance abuse prevention and support arena, another area that makes her deserving of this special recognition is the leadership she provides to her team,” Lycett said. “She is well respected and valued by her peers and the team she leads—a number of her employees submitted nomination forms to support Roxana.”

Lycett proceeded to read a few remarks from the numerous nomination forms that were submitted by Ballinger’s colleagues, praising her strong leadership skills, compassion and dedication to her duties as they recommended that she receive the honor of being named Dare County Employee of the Month.

“Roxana always goes above and beyond for the community she works with and for her coworkers. She always shows such patience and understanding no matter the circumstance,” read one nomination form, while another stated, “She encourages us and guides us to be the best we can within the field. I know we can always come to her with questions and guidance, and she never hesitates to help out. She is a team player and will do what she can to provide for her unit and for others. She always has a smile on her face and a funny remark to make us all laugh.”

Lycett continued sharing the remarks written by Ballinger’s colleagues in their nomination forms, the next of which noted, “Roxana is simply the best supervisor I’ve ever reported to. She is more than just my boss. She’s a mentor, a coach when she needs to be, an advocate and a friend. She is always the first person to volunteer when someone on her team needs help.”

Another nomination form shared similar sentiments, saying of Ballinger, “She encompasses everything you’d want in a leader and leads by example. Her staff can always count on her for support through difficult professional and personal times. Roxana inspires and empowers her team, and her ongoing support has changed my life both professionally and personally.”

As he concluded his remarks and presented Ballinger with her Employee of the Month certificate, Lycett commented, “You can tell by these comments how well respected and valued Roxana is—and what a profound impact she has made on our staff and in the community. We are grateful for Roxana’s service and her accomplishments. Roxana, congratulations, and thank you for all that you do!”

For more information about the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services, go to DareNC.gov/Health.

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