Dr. Maria Maguire Appointed Talbot County Health Officer

Easton, MD – Talbot County has announced that Dr. Maria Maguire was appointed as Talbot County Health Officer by the Maryland Department of Health on January 13, 2021, after the Talbot County Council recommended her to the Maryland Department of Health as Dr. Fredia Wadley’s successor. Dr. Maguire was appointed acting County Health Officer on December 15, 2020, after the retirement of Dr. Wadley.

“We were fortunate to have benefited by the excellent leadership Dr. Fredia Wadley provided as our Health Officer over the years and especially over the past year in responding to the pandemic; we wish her well in her retirement,” commented Chuck Callahan, President of the Talbot County Council.

“On behalf of the County Council, we are pleased with Dr. Maguire’s appointment as the Health Officer knowing her passion, training, and experience will continue to serve our county well as we battle the pandemic and address other public health matters.”

Dr. Maguire has served as Deputy Health Officer with the Talbot County Health Department since 2019, as a Pediatric Hospitalist with Children’s National-Peninsula Regional Medical Center since 2019, and as the Medical Director of the Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center since 2018. Prior to these positions, she was a Medical Director with the Medicaid Program within the Maryland Department of Health, practiced pediatrics with the University of Maryland Community Medical Group in Easton, and worked as a health policy analyst with the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

After attending Princeton University, Dr. Maguire received her medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, and stayed on to complete her residency in Pediatrics at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Her interest in understanding social determinants of health and improving the health system led her to pursue a master’s degree in public policy at the Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs, where she studied health policy under Nobel prize winners Angus Deaton and Paul Krugman and was mentored by former New Jersey Commissioner of Health Heather Howard. Dr. Maguire is board certified in pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“I am honored to be appointed Health Officer for Talbot County and look forward to working with the community to protect and promote the health of our County. In particular, I am eager to help lead the county out of the COVID-19 pandemic. This experience has shown that Talbot County is mighty and comes together to do great things in times of need,” Dr. Maguire commented.

While Dr. Maguire is an employee of the State of Maryland, she works closely with the Talbot County Council which serves as Talbot County’s Board of Health.

“It is important for the Talbot County Health Officer to have a close working relationship with County Government and the County Council. We work to support each other during any kind of statewide public health emergency like COVID-19,” added Clay Stamp, County Manager for Talbot County.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Maguire here and in this important role to direct our county as we address the issues surrounding the pandemic. She continues to work closely with our staff and the business community to meet these challenges head-on.”

# ## #
~ Talbot County