Jennifer Bencie, MD, MSA
Health Officer
Florida Department of Health in Manatee County
In August 2009, Jennifer Bencie became the County Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County. She oversees a staff of 120 and a $15 million budget. The agency is involved in many population health initiatives, including worksite wellness, school health, and environmental monitoring. Dr. Bencie previously served as Director of the Division of Emergency Medical Operations for the Florida Department of Health in Tallahassee.
The Division oversees the state’s health and medical preparedness and response system, as well as the state’s trauma centers and EMS providers. Including federal grants, the division budget was approximately $200 million. In her more than 27 years with the Department of Health, Dr. Bencie has also served in leadership roles in the health departments in Orange, Seminole, Miami-Dade, and Bay counties.
Dr. Bencie has served as an Adjunct Professor at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as Florida State University’s College of Medicine, Everglades University, and the University of Central Florida.
Dr. Bencie is a current board member of Manatee Memorial Hospital and the Manatee HealthCare Alliance. She formerly served on the Centerstone of Florida, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, the South Florida Museum, the local Ivy League Club, and the Arts and Health Coalition of Sarasota/Manatee boards. Dr. Bencie is a member of the USF College of Public Health Advisory Council and LECOM MHSA Program Advisory Committee.
Jennifer received her undergraduate degree from Brown University, her medical degree from UAG, Mexico, and her master’s degree in health administration from Central Michigan University at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Her interests include rowing, beagle rescue, and travel.
A Message from our Health Officer
As the Health Officer for Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (DOH-Manatee), I would like to welcome you to our website.
We have worked hard to make this site helpful to you. If you have a personal health-related question, do not use email, but instead call us at 941-748-0747.
At DOH-Manatee our mission is to promote, protect and improve the health of all people in our county.
We want everyone in Manatee County to live a healthy life, but we cannot accomplish it without your help. Learn how to be healthy, volunteer for a health-related organization, work at your current job or at home to promote health and make your opinion on health known to our local, state and federal representatives. If we work together, we can make our community the healthiest in Florida!
Please look through our web pages to learn about public health and see some of the exciting programs and services offered by DOH-Manatee. I hope you enjoy your visit with us, and thank you for your interest.
– Dr. Jennifer Bencie, MD, MSA
Health Officer