BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry has appointed Evelyn Griffin as the state's new Surgeon General. 

Griffin, a board-certified obstetrician–gynecologist, has practiced medicine for more than 15 years and was among the first robotically trained gynecologic surgeons in the region.

In addition to her clinical work, she serves on the Advisory Panel for Immunization Practices. She was among the yes votes to end the longstanding recommendation that all U.S. babies get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born.

“Dr. Evelyn Griffin embodies the expertise and commitment that the people of Louisiana deserve in a Surgeon General. Her clinical experience, her leadership in advancing maternal health, and her dedication to strengthening the doctor-patient relationship make her the exact right choice for this role. With Dr. Griffin stepping in, I’m confident Louisiana is in good hands and headed toward a healthier, stronger future,” Landry said.

Griffin succeeds Ralph Abraham, who moved to the CDC as the second-ranking official at the agency in November. 

“I’m excited to have Dr. Griffin as the new Surgeon General, and I know she will be dedicated and work incredibly hard,” Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein said. “The role of the Surgeon General is critical to improving health outcomes, and Dr. Griffin has a passion for teaching people about living a healthy life and a strong voice on nutrition and healthy foods. I’m looking forward to working with her to make Louisiana healthy again.”