CONCORD, NH – Gov. Kelly Ayotte announced the appointment of Donnalee Lozeau as Director of the Governor’s Office of New Opportunities & Rural Transformational Health (GO-NORTH), which will administer New Hampshire’s Rural Health Transformation Program.
“Donnalee Lozeau is a life-long public servant and a fierce advocate for our most vulnerable citizens,” said Governor Ayotte. “I’m grateful she has agreed to take on this role and help expand access to affordable, high-quality health care in our rural communities through GO-NORTH. We’re ready to hit the ground running to deliver a healthier future for all of New Hampshire.”
New Hampshire was awarded over $204 million in federal funding for 2026 to expand access to affordable, innovative, high-quality health care in rural communities across the state, the largest award among New England states. Appointed by the Governor via Executive Order, the GO-NORTH Director will oversee implementation of the program in New Hampshire and report directly to the Governor. Lozeau, a Certified Community Action Professional (CCAP), will start in her new role upon retiring from her position as Chief Executive Officer of Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties.
“It is an honor to be appointed by the Governor to lead this important initiative,” said Lozeau. “I look forward to working with Governor Ayotte, the Executive Council, the Department of Health and Human Services, and health care providers to improve access to health care across rural New Hampshire. Working collaboratively, I am confident that we can achieve sustainable solutions, making our entire state an even healthier place to live.”
As an independent entity under the Governor’s office embedded in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), GO-NORTH will leverage existing DHHS expertise and infrastructure to oversee implementation of the rural health transformation program and help deliver innovative solutions to improve rural health care.
“We are excited to have Donnalee Lozeau join the Rural Health Transformation effort leading the GO-NORTH office,” said DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver. “Donnalee’s vast experience in serving people and communities is a tremendous asset to implementing our bold plan to make health care more affordable and accessible for Granite Staters living in rural areas. I look forward to collaborating with her to ensure our efforts are strategic, integrated and having maximum impact on our rural communities in New Hampshire.”
Read more about New Hampshire’s Rural Health Transformation Program here.
About Donnalee Lozeau, CCAP:
Donnalee Lozeau began her career in public and community service in 1984 when elected to her first of eight terms in the NH House of Representatives representing Ward 5 of her hometown of Nashua serving two of those terms as Deputy Speaker. During that time and since, Lozeau has been in leadership and management positions where she has gained and utilized skills in budget management, large scale project management, negotiation, emergency management, program development, and innovative process management.
While serving as elected Mayor of Nashua, Lozeau managed eight balanced budgets of the state’s second largest city, negotiated the purchase of the city’s water supply, Pennichuck, from the public market, oversaw the completion of the long-awaited Broad Street Parkway, and the redevelopment of Nashua’s Downtown.
As CEO of the largest Community Action Partnership in New Hampshire, Lozeau has overseen over 60 programs, developed and renovated several properties, guided the agency through the COVID 19 pandemic and skillfully guided the agency through the Emergency Rental Assistance Programs entrusted to the state’s Community Action Agencies to manage millions of dollars of federal funds developing and following the highest standards of professionalism and accountability. Lozeau was instrumental in establishing the Nurse Education and Practice Collaborative to address the critical need for nurse training and licensing in the State of NH.
Lozeau has been instrumental in responding to community needs as a private citizen. She is a founding member of the Greater Nashua Dental Connection and has served on boards too numerous to list in full. Current boards include the St. Joseph Hospital Board of Directors where she chairs the Quality Council; St. Mary’s Bank Board of Directors where she chairs the Supervisory Committee; the Community College System of New Hampshire Board of Trustee’s; and NH Healthy Families Board of Directors.
Lozeau has been called upon by Governors to serve on the HB4 Cliff Effect Working Group as co-chair; Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) Stakeholders Advisory Board as Chair; Governor’s Judicial Selection Commission; and the State Workforce Innovation Board.
Lozeau continues to be dedicated to serving her community, both locally and statewide. She resides in Nashua with her husband where they raised three children and enjoy five grandchildren.