Dawn Emerick is leaving her job next month as CEO of the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida.
Emerick, who has been with the organization for six years, will continue to serve an adviser for a period of time.
Nikole Helvey, senior vice president of operations, was asked by the board of directors to serve as interim CEO while a search of the Southeast U.S. is conducted.
The council provides services to Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns and Volusia counties. It has a $3.5 million annual budget.
David Weiss, director of marketing and communications, said Emerick’s decision to leave was her own.
“There’s no tension with the board of directors,” he said. “There’s no tension with the leadership.”
He said Emerick and her husband are evaluating business opportunities, including in Downtown Jacksonville. Emerick is also looking at other civic opportunities, he said.
Weiss said during her tenure, Emerick created “an aggressive 18-month strategic plan,” was able to secure a dedicated board of directors and hired a leadership team. He said Emerick helped the council become “a relevant and valued health organization not just locally, but statewide and sometimes nationally.”
A news release said Emerick was “instrumental in establishing the council as stewards in the integration of health in to all policies in non-traditional sectors such as transportation, housing, employment, and agriculture and connecting these sectors to health improvement and health equity.”
“She’s handing off the keys to a really nice Cadillac,” he said of the transition.
Helvey has been with the council more than 11 years, Weiss said, and has worked in virtually every program the organization has.
“She’s a real natural fit,” he said.