About our Health Officer

Joy Jackson, M.D.

Director, Florida Department of Health in Polk County

Dr. Joy Jackson has been the director of the Florida Department of Health in Polk County and the Florida Department of Health in Hardee County since September 2015.

Prior to this role, Dr. Jackson practiced general internal medicine in a large multi-specialty clinic in Polk County from 1988 through 1998. In 1999, she joined Lakeland Regional Medical Center as physician liaison for documentation and coding. She also served as physician liaison for quality improvement and case management. She was on the ethics committee as well as the pharmacy and therapeutics committee. She served one year as chief medical officer and interim vice president of medical affairs. In this role, she served on the executive leadership team and the medical staff executive committee.

In 2011, she joined the Florida Department of Health in Polk County as a senior physician, eventually becoming medical director in 2012. In this role, she helped to oversee the provider staff and served on multiple committees both within the health department and in the community.

Dr. Jackson received her bachelor of science degree from the University of South Carolina–Aiken in 1981. In 1985, she earned her doctor of medicine from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. She completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Florida Shands Teaching Hospital in 1988. She is board certified in internal medicine.

Dr. Jackson is a member of the Polk Vision board of directors, the Early Learning Coalition board, and she serves on the United Way Quality of Life Steering Committee. In addition, she serves as the chairperson of the statewide DOH pharmacy and therapeutics committee.

She is married to Mike Martin, an attorney, whose family has resided in central Florida for five generations. They have two children, Katherine and Rachel. She enjoys spending time at the beach, traveling, and reading.