He’s in charge of keeping Pierce County healthy. What we know about new health officer
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has announced a Washington state Department of Health official will become the agency’s new health officer.
Director of Public Health Chantell Harmon Reed, who just recently started work at the department, has appointed Dr. Jay Miller as TPCHD’s health officer.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to serve Pierce County as health officer,” Miller said in a statement.
Miller, 36, will begin his new role May 13.
He currently serves as a regional medical officer for state DOH and has helped with Washington state’s response to COVID-19, monkeypox and other communicable diseases. He has worked extensively on communicable diseases in correctional facilities, according to TPCHD’s announcement.
Before that, he was assigned to state DOH as an epidemic intelligence service officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
He earned a doctorate in medicine from Harvard Medical School and a master’s in public health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency and a fellowship in global health at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The health officer position, which requires a medical license to practice in the state, is one of two roles that previously came under the responsibilities of one department leader. Former TPCHD director Dr. Anthony Chen served the department in that capacity.
In September, The News Tribune reported that the department’s board of health approved splitting the top job into two to cover both the administrative duties and medical requirements previously rolled into the solo director position. The board approved a salary range for director at $166,782.72 to $214,780.80 annually and for the health officer $200,740.80 to $267,280 annually.
Chen retired June 30 and has performed health-officer duties for the department on a contract basis in the interim.
Harmon Reed started her position in March after confirmation from Tacoma City Council and Pierce County Council.
According to TPCHD in its announcement, Miller “will serve as the medical expert for the agency and our community. He will assess community health, provide direction and guidance on public health matters, and advise public health professionals, residents, county leadership, and the Board of Health on community health issues.”
“I am eagerly anticipating Dr. Miller joining our team,” Harmon Reed said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience that has prepared him for this critical role.”
In TPCHD’s announcement, Miller said he had been “consistently impressed with the work of Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and the great team that Dr. Anthony Chen helped bring together.”
He added that he was “thrilled to partner with Chantell Harmon Reed to build on the Department’s strengths and work toward a healthier Pierce County for everyone, with particular focus on people and communities who experience worse health outcomes.”
According to the department, Miller “spent several years working with community health workers in Uganda and has experience providing forensic medical and psychiatric evaluations for people applying for asylum.”
He also provided clinical care for Native communities with Maniilaq Association in Northwest Alaska and with Seattle Indian Health Board.
The News Tribune archives contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 16, 2024 at 12:25 PM.
