Alyssa Harris

Your Rowan Favorites

Place to Eat: Carpe Vinum 121, Salisbury, NC​
Outdoor Activity: High Rock Lake
Event or Festival: Holiday Spectacular Parade

Alyssa Harris

Public Health Director, Rowan County Health Department

Native of Charleston, SC

Industry: Public Health/Local Government

Alyssa Harris is on a mission to make Rowan County the healthiest place to live. It’s her calling as Public Health Director of the Rowan County Health Department.

She sees Rowan County as filled with economic opportunities and is excited to see the growth. 

She has lived here for 23 years, since her dad, Bob Smith, retired from the U.S. Navy and he and his wife, Sue, and family moved back to his hometown. As a child, Alyssa lived in Charleston, SC, and in Connecticut, but she is in Rowan County by choice “because of the people and the great opportunities we have. We have amazing restaurants, several fun downtowns each with their own flavor, and people in all sectors working hard to ensure that life here is rewarding for all.” 

She says she pulled her husband, Phillip Harris, to Salisbury Rowan from Concord. He is employed at Motion AI, formerly Integro Technologies, in Salisbury.

After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill with an undergraduate degree in psychology with a double minor in chemistry and biology, she wanted to be home, “and make an impact on my home community,” she says. She has since earned her master’s degree at the University of South Carolina in public health. She became Director of the health department after serving as Community Health Director and Interim Director.

“Public health touches everybody’s life day in and day out,” she says. “Our job is to protect health and make sure everyone has a healthy life.”

She says that the county slogan, Be an Original, means “freedom to try new things and be bold enough to be the first. Growth only happens outside of your comfort zone, and the people of Rowan County are willing to try new things to keep us a vibrant community.”

Her favorite restaurant is Carpe Vinum 121. “My husband and I are huge foodies. We love to travel and eat local food. Carpe Vinum is at the same level as restaurants in much, much bigger cities. The food is always fresh and it’s a cozy atmosphere.”

High Rock Lake is her favorite outdoor space. “In the summers, we spend weekends on the lake. We share a campsite with our best friend. We have a camper there and we enjoy the water and seeing people have fun. It’s a nice place to be active and to be outside in Rowan County. For food, we go to Water’s Edge Restaurant.”

The Tis the Season Spectacular holiday parade is her favorite event of the year. “I’m a little biased. It was a touching moment being Grand Marshal during the vaccine administration,” she says. “I also appreciate all the coordination this event requires. It’s a special family moment for Rowan County.”

She is active in the Salisbury Rotary Club, and her grandmother, Jane Smith Steinberg, encourages her support of veterans through the Daughters of the American Revolution. 

“Rowan is such an interesting nexus that has Southern charm while also moving forward with the many business endeavors and original programs,” she says. “I love being at the different events to share about the health department, of course, but beyond that I love going into any restaurant or brewery and seeing my colleagues in other organizations. It feels like the people who work here really care about contributing to the economy. We are passionate people working on continuous improvement and acknowledging how much of a gem Rowan is!”

Your Rowan Favorites

Place to Eat: Carpe Vinum 121, Salisbury, NC​
Outdoor Activity: High Rock Lake
Event or Festival: Holiday Spectacular Parade