Meet Our Health Officer

Dr. Carla Fry, PhD, MSN, RN 

Administrator and Health Officer 

Dr. Carla Fry has over 35 years of experience in the medical field. She got her start as an Army Medic assigned to the 4^th Infantry Division. During her time in the military, Dr. Fry worked as a first responder and became a licensed practical nurse. When she got out of the military, Dr. Fry used GI Bill funds to return to school. 

Working in acute care areas such as trauma and coronary care, Dr. Fry put herself through school earning her BSN, MSN, and ultimately a PhD in nursing with a minor in public health as a Maren Fellow at the University of Florida. Dr. Fry spent 12 years in academia teaching, directing nursing programs, and authoring curriculum. 

In 2018, Dr. Fry became a Fulbright Scholar and spent a semester working with the Ministry of Health and Department of State in Belize.  

Dr. Fry, as director of nursing at the College of the Florida Keys (CFK), worked closely with the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County (DOH-Monroe) on a number of community outreach initiatives focused on protecting the health of residents and visitors to the Florida Keys. This rekindled her passion for public health, and when the opportunity arose, Fry accepted a position as the director of nursing at DOH-Monroe. 

Dr. Fry was promoted to assistant county health administrator in October 2022, then appointed by the Florida Surgeon General to the position of administrator and health officer for Monroe County in February 2023. 

When she’s not at work, Dr. Fry loves to play and listen to music, and spending time boating, fishing, and diving in the beautiful Florida Keys.