HEALTH OFFICER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
STEVEN ESHENAUR, D.O., M.B.A.
Dr. Steven Eshenaur was named Public Health Officer for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department in June 2022 by members of the Kanawha-Charleston Board of Health.
He is a West Virginia native – Mason County to be exact – and a board-certified family physician with a diverse clinical background in healthcare. He retired from the military – Army – with the rank of Colonel about four years ago. That experience allowed him to practice military medicine in Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Korea, and serve as the State Surgeon for the West Virginia Army National Guard where he oversaw medical readiness, immunizations, medical retention and domestic response planning. Stateside, Dr. Eshenaur has cared for patients in Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. Most recently he served as the director of the emergency department and outpatient clinics at WVU-Jackson General Hospital, where he continues to see patients one day a week because "ERs are where we see the impact of our public health efforts."
Dr. Eshenaur earned his Doctorate of Osteopathy from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, his Bachelor of Science in biology from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio, and his Executive M.B.A. from West Virginia University. Throughout the years, he has committed to volunteer service in a variety of roles including serving as medical director of Summit Bechtel Reserve in Fayette County. Once an Eagle Scout, always an Eagle Scout. During his military deployments, he traveled extensively and witnessed the dire effects of now-preventable diseases. He is a outspoken advocate of the importance of immunization in both children and adults. "It is so true, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," he says.
Dr. Eshenaur brings diverse clinical, emergency response and leadership experience to KCHD during this time of recovery from a global pandemic. In September 2023, he was selected to serve as chairman of the state’s Public Health Advisory Committee. In 2024, he was presented with the Immunization Advocacy Award from the West Virginia Immunization Network for his collaborative efforts to fight against legislation that would weaken West Virginia's strong childhood immunization requirements.
For information about availability for speaking engagements, contact Lalena Price (lalena.d.price@wv.gov ) or Julie Blackwood ( Julie.e.blackwood@wv.gov ).
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LEADERSHIP TEAM
DOUG BEASLEY
Director of Operations
doug.beasley@wv.gov
(304) 348-6494
JULIE BLACKWOOD, M.A., M.P.H., C.H.E.S.
Director of Planning & Community Engagement
julie.e.blackwood@wv.gov
(304) 348-6494
DEANNA BONHAM
Interim Practice Manager
deanna.k.bonham@wv.gov
(304) 348-8080
ANTHONY CANTERBURY
Manager of Information Services
anthony.canterbury@wv.gov
(304) 348-0700
LALENA PRICE, M.B.A.
Director of Communications & Marketing
lalena.d.price@wv.gov
(304) 382-4949
ETTA RAMSEY
Director of Finance and Human Resources
etta.k.ramsey@wv.gov
(304) 348-6494