Jerry Lee Lovelace Jr., M.D., Ph.D., was appointed medical director for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services in October 2023. Dr. Lovelace oversees the Health Services division, which includes medical, dental, psychiatry and behavioral health. 

Dr. Lovelace bring extensive experience to this role, with a background in pathology and internal medicine, as well as 24 years in primary care practice. Most recently, he served as the statewide medical director for Centurion Health in Missouri, where he ensured comprehensive healthcare for more than 23,000 individuals in 22 corrections facilities throughout the state. Dr. Lovelace has more than 10 years of experience providing medical care and services at corrections facilities in Alabama, Missouri and Tennessee. He has also been a biochemistry professor at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Lovelace earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry, with research focused on opioid peptides in the human brain, and an M.D. from the University of Tennessee - Memphis. He also holds a certificate of advanced study in bioethics from Cleveland State University.