The West Virginia Department of Health announced the official launch of new executive leadership for the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) with the appointment of Dr. Carrie Jeffries, DNP, MPH, ANP-BC, NEA-BC, FACHE, AACRN, as Director and Dr. Soumya Prasad, MD, MBA, FAAP, as Deputy Director, according to a press release. Both begin their roles on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

The appointments mark a significant milestone as the state accelerates implementation of its nationally recognized Rural Health Transformation Program.

Dr. Jeffries brings extensive clinical and executive leadership experience to the role. As a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Public Health, she combines advanced clinical training with deep expertise in healthcare administration and system redesign. Dr. Jeffries holds board certifications as an Adult Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Executive Advanced and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Throughout her career, she has led complex healthcare operations, advanced quality improvement initiatives and strengthened care delivery systems to improve patient outcomes at scale. Dr. Jeffries’ background in rural and under-resourced healthcare uniquely positions her to lead RHTP’s statewide transformation efforts with both clinical credibility and operational discipline.

Serving as Deputy Director, Dr. Prasad is a practicing pediatrician, board certified with the American Board of Pediatrics, and an experienced healthcare executive with more than 20 years of clinical, academic, corporate and regulatory leadership experience. She has served as a Medical Officer supporting the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, directing pharmacovigilance strategy and compliance across early phase oncology trials while ensuring alignment with federal regulatory standards. Dr. Prasad has also held senior global safety leadership roles at IQVIA, advising executive teams on risk management, regulatory interactions and safety oversight driving global drug development. In addition, she maintains active clinical engagement in pediatrics through her private practice at Candor Care, PLLC.

“Today is a major step forward for the Rural Health Transformation Program,” said Dr. Arvin Singh, Secretary of Health for West Virginia and Acting Director of RHTP. “Dr. Jeffries brings executive healthcare leadership and advanced clinical expertise that will drive system level transformation. Dr. Prasad strengthens our team with deep clinical experience, federal research leadership, and global regulatory insight.

“Together, this leadership team positions RHTP to execute quickly and deliver measurable improvements in access, quality, and outcomes for rural communities across our state. With their appointments, I will transition from the Acting Director role while maintaining direct executive oversight of the Rural Health Transformation Program, with all major strategic decisions and approvals continuing through my office. RHTP remains one of my highest priorities as Secretary of Health, and I will remain actively engaged to ensure disciplined execution, accountability, and results for the people of West Virginia.”

In addition to Dr. Jeffries and Dr. Prasad, the RHTP team recently welcomed Michael Sheets, former State Procurement Officer, and John Leite, former Assistant to the Public Health Commissioner, who began their roles last week to support rapid operational execution.

The Rural Health Transformation Program represents a historic investment in modernizing rural healthcare infrastructure, expanding access to essential services, strengthening workforce pipelines and building sustainable systems of care across West Virginia.

The Department of Health is aggressively hiring additional team members and advancing implementation efforts, including finalizing Requests for Proposals, establishing procurement pathways and accelerating program rollout to ensure timely execution of this transformative initiative.

The Department is also finalizing the Rural Health Transformation Program Advisory Panel, an expansive group of clinical, operational and community leaders who will help guide strategy and ensure accountability. Advisory panel membership will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information about the Rural Health Transformation Program, visit health.wv.gov.