A Passion for Public Health: Sierra Peebles Leads by Example

At just 32 years old, Sierra Peebles has already built a career centered on serving the community through public health. As the nurse manager at the Chatham County Health Department in Savannah, Peebles oversees clinical services ranging from immunizations and WIC to pediatric care, women’s health, HIV and STD services, and tuberculosis surveillance.

A graduate of the College of Coastal Georgia with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing,Peebles continued her education and earned a Master of Science in Nursing and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of South Alabama. In 2015, she joined the health department as a registered nurse in the WIC clinic before becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner in 2019 and nurse manager in 2021.

Peebles said one of the biggest challenges facing public health is unstable funding, which affects staffing, salaries, and the ability to maintain essential programs. She also noted that competing with private healthcare organizations makes recruiting and retaining qualified medical professionals difficult.

Despite those challenges, Peebles takes pride in developing her staff. During her leadership, several nurses have advanced into supervisory positions, while others have completed specialty training and graduate degrees. To elaborate on what kind of leader Peebles is, one of her employees, Desri’ Hayes, said, “Sierra leads by example every day. She’s always willing to step into the clinic and help when we’re short-staffed, and she makes sure everyone has the support they need to succeed. She genuinely cares about both the staff and the patients, and that creates a positive environment for everyone.”

One experience that reinforced her passion for public health came during Hurricane Matthew, when the department helped evacuate residents with fragile medical conditions. She said witnessing the community’s appreciation reminded her why she chose nursing.

Peebles hopes residents know the health department provides evidence-based care for people of all ages. I had a chance to ask Peebles, “If someone wanted to follow a career path like yours, what advice would you give them?” She said, “I would tell them to never stop learning and always be willing to be a team player. Although I started in the WIC department, I also trained in immunizations, child health, and registration prior to moving into the NP role. I wanted to learn everything in my department so I could help my coworkers when they were short-staffed or overwhelmed with patients. This helped me greatly when I moved into the CNM role. Laying that foundation and learning all aspects of an organization is paramount when wanting to progress into leadership." Ultimately, Peebles’ holistic approach to professional development underscores the importance of adaptability and comprehensive knowledge in cultivating effective leaders within public health.