MARSHALL - Madison County has undergone a lot of trying times in Tammy Cody's more than 11-year tenure as health director.
Cody told The News-Record Aug. 20 she will stay on through Jan. 1, 2027, and will help the new county health director in the transition. The county is actively seeking her replacement, she said.
According to Cody, the decision to retire has been brewing since last summer, when the Madison County Board of Commissioners proposed to take over the county health board.
The 11-member Board of Health is comprised of four public citizens, as well as a physician, dentist, veterinarian, nurse, pharmacist, engineer and a county commissioner. Following significant pushback from residents, the commissioners ultimately voted against taking
control of the health board.
Cody said the fact she is dealing with health issues, which require her to take from nine to 15 medical appointments monthly, also contributed to her decision.
While Cody has responded really well to some specific cancer therapies that she said probably saved her life, she is now stable.
"When I feel good, I want to spend time with my family," Cody said.
Looking back
When she reflects back on her tenure, her family holds a prominent spot in her memories, as her children "were raised here" at the health department.
She recalled the night of Sept. 27, 2024, when Madison County began establishing its Emergency Operations Center at Madison Early College High School during Helene. The storm ripped through the region in September 2024, and heavy rains caused catastrophic flooding of many rivers, including the French Broad River and Spring Creek, which devastated Hot Springs and Marshall, destroying homes, roads, bridges and businesses. Helene killed more than 100 people in North Carolina, including at least five people in Madison County, and caused nearly $60 billion in damage across the state.
While she was working to help coordinate food, water, sleeping arrangements and other needs for at-risk residents and visitors, her youngest child was there with her, processing the situation.
Cody said while her daughter, then 16 years old, was scared and unsure of what's going on, she was able to provide comfort and reassurance to a distraught resident.
"I looked over and saw my 16-year-old child has this grown woman in her arms, and this woman's sobbing on her shoulders," Cody said. "I was so proud of my daughter, being strong enough to help this adult that's experienced so much trauma."
Serving as the county's top health official during COVID was another whirlwind experience for Cody, who has served as county health director since 2015.
"For almost two years, I started out my day every day with logging into the Mission system to see who survived the night," Cody said.
Robin Wallin worked more than 10 years with Cody, including as the county nursing director. Wallin worked 18 years with the health department before leaving in September 2025 to accept a job with the state Department of Health and Human Services as a nurse consultant.
Wallin said Cody is "a true example of a servant's heart," and told Wallin she wanted to be a health director since she was a child.
"She led and served with grace, dignity, and selflessness. Her care, compassion, advocacy, and thoughtfulness for her community and staff will be greatly missed," Wallin said, adding that she was privileged to work alongside Cody and is blessed to gain a friend.
"As you enter retirement, my prayer for you is that you can rest and enjoy God's blessings with those you love."
Deana Stephens, the health department's director of community health programs, has worked alongside Cody throughout her tenure.
According to Stephens, while it has been and continues to be a challenging time for public health across the country and in Madison County, Cody has been a steady hand through unprecedentedly trying times.
"She was on the front lines with us, organizing drive-thru vaccine clinics, providing medical oversight at shelters, receiving shipments of supplies, and much more," Stephens said. "Not only was she making the important sometimes minute-to-minute decisions, but she was also right there alongside us doing the work. I admire her greatly in that regard."
Stephens said Cody also helped health department staff throughout their grieving the losses of employees, including longtime County Medical Director Dr. Marianna Daly, Administrative Officer Kathy Price and Jodi Brazil, who most recently served as food pantry supervisor. Brazil died Feb. 7, 2026.
"She made sure that each person was honored in a special and lasting way," Stephens said.
Cody said she's grateful to her community in Madison County, where she's lived her entire life, and that she's thankful to have been part of the community and to have had the opportunity to serve as county health director.
"I was so blessed from day one that I had a good team in place, and we put even better team members in place," Cody said, adding that she appreciates the health board as well. "I have no regrets. I've loved every minute of serving the community and serving my team, and I will miss that part terribly."
Johnny Casey is the Madison County communities reporter for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel. He can be reached at 828-210-6074 or jcasey@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Tammy Cody to retire after 11 years as Madison County health director
