Dr. Daniel Edney has joined the Mississippi State Department of Health as chief medical officer and regional health officer for the Central Public Health Region.
A 30-year resident of Vicksburg, Edney is a 1983 alumnus of William Carey University. He graduated first in his class, summa cum laude, with a bachelor of science degree in pre-medicine and a minor in English.
In 1988, he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.
“Dr. Edney is an example of a William Carey student who went on to achieve distinction in his career. Carey is so proud of the Edney family and their dedication to the community, profession, and William Carey,” said WCU President Dr. Tommy King.
Edney has served on the staff of Medical Associates of Vicksburg and, most recently, as medical director of several nursing homes and hospice services, as well as working in addiction medicine for mental health facilities.
“I am so pleased to have a physician of Dr. Edney’s stature join the MSDH team. We really recognized his talents as he worked with us on COVID-19, and I am confident his contributions will be significant,” said State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs.
Edney is a longtime member of the American Medical Association and the Mississippi State Medical Association, in which he currently serves as immediate past president and on the board of trustees.
“I look forward to joining this amazing team. I have always been a physician in the private sector, but this last year I have seen the importance of merging the public and private sectors. This is a great partnership that needs to continue as we move forward,” Edney said.
In addition to his service in the United States, Edney is active in medical missions work. He has traveled to Indonesia, Lebanon, Haiti, Kurdistan, and Nepal as team leader for Mississippi Baptist Disaster Response. He founded First Baptist Church Medical/Dental Ministry and served as trustee and chair of Baptist Medical Dental Missions International.
Edney has been an active WCU alumnus and has served as trustee and chair of the William Carey University Board. In 2020, he was chosen as a member of the WCU Hall of Fame. His wife, Lori Edney, is also a Carey alum and currently serves as a trustee.
The couple has three children, Daniel, Meredith and Meg – who is a 2020 WCU alum. The Edneys are members of First Baptist Church of Vicksburg, where Dr. Edney is a deacon, Lori Edney is a women’s ministry leader, and both teach Sunday school.
