After an extensive, nationwide search, the Douglas County Board of Health today announced its finalist for the Public Health Executive Director of the Douglas County Health Department, Michael Hill, a senior executive with nearly 30 years local public health agency expertise leading significant programs in California, Texas, Florida and Illinois. Consistent with state law, a public announcement of the finalist is required.
Mr. Hill is currently the Health Agency Director for the San Luis Obispo County Health Agency, leading a Public Health Department, Behavioral Health Department, Animal Services Division and the office of Public Guardian, with a $120 million budget, more than 800 employees, serving 280,000 residents.
His nearly 30 years of experience includes both the management of existing public health agencies and the responsibility for the start-up of a new public health agency.
Mr. Hill holds a Master of Public Health from the University of South Florida, a Master of Public Administration from Florida Atlantic University, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Northern Michigan University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, board certified in health administration and is a certified health education specialist, from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.
“We are very pleased to name Mr. Hill as the sole finalist for this position,” said Doug Benevento, President, Douglas County Board of Health. “After the Board of Health interviewed him we agreed that he was such an excellent candidate that we wanted to introduce him to additional Douglas County stakeholders this past Friday. The feedback from those meetings was universally positive and we saw no reason not to announce him as the sole finalist immediately,” Benevento said.