Kristen Zak

Kristen Zak is the Special Adviser to the Director of Health at the Metro Nashville Public Health Department (MPHD).  In this role she works to improve operations of MPHD and improve public health services and reach to communities in Nashville. Since joining MPHD, Kristen spearheaded development of a community safety plan for Nashville, worked to re-orient the Department’s efforts as the administrator of opioid settlement funding and focused on solving complex fiscal and operation barriers at the Department. Prior to her time at MPHD, Kristen was the Director of the Overdose Response Coordination Office at the Tennessee Department of Health where she oversaw allocation of funding to the areas of the state most acutely impacted by the overdose epidemic and in addition to funding provides training, technical assistance, monitoring and oversight of 30 overdose prevention and response activities throughout the state.  Kristen has 25 years of experience in government in health and human service agencies in the areas of program management, administration, policy and government and community affairs.  Before working at TDH, Kristen served as the Senior Advisor for Health and Wellness Policy for the Mayor of Nashville.  Prior to coming to Tennessee, Kristen worked for New York City government for 16 years at the NYC Department for the Aging, the NYC Council and the NYC Department of Homeless Services.  Kristen completed her MPH at BSPH at JHU in December of 2024. Kristen also holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from New York University and a Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Studies from the University of Tennessee.  

The mission of MPHD is to protect, improve and sustain the health and well-being of all people in Nashville and Davidson County. The Department operates 7 Bureaus overseeing clinical services, communicable disease and emergency preparedness, population health, environmental health, epidemiology and evaluation and finance and administration.