Santa Barbara County Names New Public Health Director

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/120809_santa_barbara_county_names_new_public_health_director/

By William Boyer

Dr. Takashi Michael Wada also will serve as the county's medical officer

Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors chairman Joe Centeno announced Tuesday that the county will appoint Dr. Takashi Michael Wada as the new director of the county Public Health Department and as the new county medical officer.

The announcement was made during the board’s meeting Tuesday in Santa Maria.

Wada is the director of the Pasadena Public Health Department, where he is also the city’s public health officer. He is a fully credentialed and licensed medical doctor who holds a master’s degree in public health.

“We are extremely pleased to find someone like Dr. Wada who can fulfill both roles as the chief medical officer and leader of our Public Health Department,” Centeno said. “Dr. Wada is a welcome addition to our county, and we look forward to having his expertise, especially as we continue to deal with issues like the H1N1 flu virus.”

Wada’s appointment concluded a nationwide recruitment to replace Dr. Elliot Schulman, who resigned earlier this year.

“I’m honored to have been selected for this prestigious role, and I look forward to working with everybody in Santa Barbara County,” Wada said.

He Wada will begin his new duties for Santa Barbara County in March 2010. His annual salary will be about $220,000.

At Pasadena, Wada was responsible for policy development and community health planning for the city as well as the overall direction and guidance for all of the activities of the Public Health Department, including, among others, staffing and budgets, local health orders and regulations, clinical services, and preparation for bioterrorism and public health emergency planning.

He served as the department’s liaison to the Pasadena City Council and other elected officials, and was the department’s media spokesperson for public health issues. He also oversees public health issues and planning for large scale events such as the annual Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl.

Wada is a UCLA graduate, where he received both his medical degree and his master’s degree. He has been a licensed medical doctor in California since 1995 and obtained his board certification in family medicine in 1997. In 2007, he completed the Executive Leadership Program from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

He has been a frequent volunteer physician in clinics throughout the greater Los Angeles area and in Mexico, and he has received numerous community service awards and recognition for his volunteer work.

— William Boyer is the director of communications for Santa Barbara County.

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/120809_santa_barbara_county_names_new_public_health_director/