Nannette C. Turner

Dr. Nannette C. Turner became interim dean of the College of Health Professions in January 2026. She first joined Mercer University as an assistant professor of public health in 2007. She was promoted to associate professor and joined the College of Health Professions as chair of the public health department in 2013. She was promoted to professor in 2019, served as associate dean from 2021-2025 and currently serves as executive associate dean in the College of Health Professions.

Dr. Turner received a doctorate in health education and health promotion from the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She received a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston and a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from Xavier University of Louisiana. She has more than 25 years of experience as a public health practitioner in Texas and Georgia in positions including: epidemiologist, administrative supervisor for HIV Serosurveillance, program consultant for Tobacco Control, and executive director of the West Central Georgia Cancer Coalition.

Dr. Turner is an active member of the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health, American Public Health Association, Georgia Society of Public Health Educators and the Association of Prevention, Teaching and Research. She is currently a member of the Georgia Cancer Control Consortium and serves as co-chair for the Early Detection and Screening Committee. In 2015, she was appointed to the Georgia Health Commissioner’s Task Force on Tobacco Control.