ALEXANDRIA, Va. — State health policy professional Leigh Knotts has been named a director of state government affairs at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

In the position, Knotts will be responsible for advocacy in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina and Tennessee. She becomes one of six state directors on NACDS’ state team, all of whom report to vice president of state government affairs Sandra Guckian.

Knotts’ background as a state government affairs advocate will strengthen NACDS’ advocacy for community pharmacy and the promotion of its role in improving patient health and reducing health care costs.

“We are thrilled to welcome Leigh to NACDS,” said president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson. “The NACDS membership expects the association to place a high priority on state government affairs issues, and the caliber and capacity of the newly enhanced team shows that NACDS is executing aggressively in this vital area.

“NACDS is 100% committed to working with state associations and policy makers to unleash the unsurpassed value of neighborhood pharmacies for the benefit of patient care.”

Knotts most recently worked in government relations at Berry, Quackenbush & Stuart and held multiple positions in the real estate industry.