Lisa Pivec was born in 1969, and is a Cherokee Nation citizen in Oklahoma. She has worked for the Nation for over 25 years, most recently serving as Cherokee Nation's senior director of Public Health. Under her leadership, Cherokee Nation Health Services became the first accredited tribal public health department in the United States.

The Cherokee Nation public health department educates citizens on healthy eating and exercise habits, and also provides a large number of prevention programs for Cherokee people. Pivec and the Nation's Health Services received the Public Health Innovation Award, which is given to organizations that best exemplify the advancement of public health for Native Americans and Alaskan Natives.

Cherokee Nation Health Services currently operates the largest tribal-run health system in the country, with more than one million patient visits per year.

Thank you, Lisa Pivec, for being a public health hero!

This biography is based on publicly available