Health commissioner Lori Shibinette to step down in December

One of the state’s most visible leaders during the coronavirus pandemic announced that she is stepping down in December.

Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette tendered her resignation at the meeting of the Executive Council Tuesday.

Shibinette was confirmed in January 22, 2020, the  day after the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the United States.

“Throughout her tenure, Lori has played a key role in my Administration as New Hampshire’s top health official,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement.

Shibinette, who had been chief executive officer at the state’s psychiatric hospital, had grand plans for her first couple of months on the job.

She was going to improve mental health programs, transitional housing, and revamp the entire long-term care system in New Hampshire. In her first week, she had already created a task force and started developing an ambitious plan that outlined how New Hampshire would deliver, pay for, and manage long-term care.

Then, COVID-19 hit.

“In early March I understood that (COVID-19) was going to own me for many, many months,” she told the Monitor in 2020, just months into the pandemic.

A registered nurse, she previously served as deputy   commissioner at Health and Human Services and as CEO of the Merrimack County Nursing Home.

Shibinette quickly became a familiar face at news media briefings during the pandemic.

“I didn’t realize how many people watch a full hour press conference,” Shibinette said in a 2020 interview with the Monitor. “The first week, I went to the grocery store in sweatpants and thought, ‘Wow, I can’t do this anymore.’ ”

She was also tough when she needed to be, at one point confronting a top Republican lawmaker over spreading vaccine misinformation.

“From the early days of the pandemic to her leadership at New Hampshire Hospital, Lori has earned the respect and trust of New Hampshire’s citizens,” Sununu said. “I consider her a great friend and wish her all the best in whatever she decides to do next. I cannot thank her enough for her service to NH.”