The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is excited to announce a new leadership team in the Office of Communications with the additions of Lauren Hegwood and Greg Flynn.
Hegwood will serve as the Communications Director and oversee the overall communications and branding strategies for the agency to support the agency’s mission of working together to promote, protect, and improve public health. Flynn joins the communications team as the Director of External Affairs and Media Relations and will serve as the lead public information officer and primary contact for other agencies’ communications teams.
“We are so proud and excited to welcome Lauren and Greg to the MSDH family,” said State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney. “We look forward to leveraging their diverse experience and expertise to help us communicate more effectively, both internally and externally.”
Hegwood joins the MSDH after serving as the Director of Communications and Design at Pinelake Church where she developed messaging and tactics through integrated communication strategies for five campuses across the state. She previously worked at The Cirlot Agency on diverse projects and events, driving communications campaigns locally and nationally. Her expertise spans public relations and marketing efforts, showcased through impactful initiatives for the City of Brandon, the Brandon Amphitheater, MS Secretary of State’s Office, and the prestigious Sanderson Farms Championship. Hegwood is a graduate of Mississippi College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Public Relations.
Hegwood’s leadership extends beyond individual campaigns to include overseeing teams of communications professionals. With a focus on results-driven communication plans, she provides guidance and oversight to ensure cohesive and effective execution of comprehensive strategies aligning with organizational objectives.
Flynn brings more than 30 years of public communications experience to the agency and is no stranger to state government. Flynn worked at the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency as External Affairs Director and as a PIO from 2008 to 2019. He coordinated with the public, media, state legislators and members of Congress on emergency management issues, including 27 federally declared disasters: 22 in Mississippi and five others nationwide.
Prior to that, Flynn worked 14 years as a television reporter and anchor in Jackson, Mississippi for CBS affiliate WJTV and ABC affiliate WAPT. Flynn won two regional Emmy awards while at WAPT in 2006 for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism degree and earned an Advanced Public Information Officer certification from the Federal Emergency Management Institute.
