Janna Pastir
40 Under 40 Class of 2021
Bismarck, North Dakota
Director, Division of Health Promotion
North Dakota Department of Health
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I believe that true sustainable changes in public health will only happen when our communities are set up to thrive in, not just live in.
Three words to describe me:
visionary, leader, persistent
The best part of my job:
working alongside and learning from people from all different professions and walks of life to improve life and health for all
Something that would surprise others about me:
I would rather vacation in Alaska than the tropics any day.
A champion of community health, Janna Pastir aspires to ensure that all North Dakotans can achieve the quality of life they desire, and she is committed to reducing the negative root causes that impact quality of life. As the director of the Division of Health Promotion at the North Dakota Department of Health, Janna provides oversight for all the division’s programs, which includes oral health, diabetes prevention and control, hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention and control, and healthy communities’ programs and projects. Within all these areas, she and her team strive to incorporate health equity and social determinant of health activities into all programs.Â
 Janna holds an MPH from Benedictine University and is involved with numerous organizations, including the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and the NACDD Cardiovascular Health Council, where she serves as co-chair. Â
Janna Pastir's Recent Writing
blog post
May 24, 2022
