Tacoma-Pierce County health director to get ‘executive coaching services’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Board declined to release investigation report citing attorney-client privilege.
- Consulting firm hired for $49K to improve leadership and workplace culture.
- Board members voiced support for Director Reed despite staff complaints.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Board unanimously approved a contract with a consulting firm that will work with the public health director and her leadership team after receiving complaints from three unions representing employees with the department.
About three months ago the employee unions filed a complaint with the Board of Health, alleging public health director Chantell Harmon Reed engaged in bullying, unethical behavior and a toxic work environment. Board members said the consulting firm’s guidance will “create greater cohesiveness, increased trust, stronger leadership skills and a general increase in effectiveness.”
The vote last week came after an outside investigator looked into the complaint. The Board of Health will not be releasing the investigator’s report because, “It was prepared under attorney-client privilege and is exempt from disclosure under the public records act,” department spokesperson Kenny Via told The News Tribune Thursday.
Via said he could not speak to any findings in the report or provide any further information. Messages left with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 120 union and the Teamsters Local 117 union were not immediately returned this week.
“I remain steadfast in my commitment to this community and all the work we do to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in Pierce County,” said Reed in a department news release. “I am proud of all the changes we’ve made over the past year to position this department for long-term growth and sustainability. I look forward to where we are headed.”
In a meeting July 2, the Board of Health went into a closed executive session and returned to vote unanimously to approve a contract with Nash Consulting Inc. to spend up to $49,620 for “executive coaching services” from July 3 to Dec. 31. Greg Jacoby, who is the general counsel for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, said at the meeting the firm came highly recommended “as a company that has worked with a lot of government and public agencies to help its leaders polish their skills.”
All board members present, with the exception of Dave Olson, who didn’t make a statement, said they were supportive of Reed and her leadership team and said they take staff concerns seriously. All went on to vote in favor of the consulting contract.
“Myself and members of this board are aware that there have been a lot of conflicts between senior leadership and staff. Change has been happening all across the board, and it’s created a lot of friction amongst everybody — leadership team, staff, all across the board, even amongst the board and all the other government agencies that we are a part of as well,” said board chair and Tacoma City Council member Joe Bushnell. “We value every single person on the leadership team, including director Reed, as well as every single member of the staff here at the health department. And you know you can always reach out to myself or members of the board when there are concerns.”
Board member and Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello said at the meeting he saw the contract as an “investment in our senior leaders” and “investing in the culture of this place and making this a great work culture for the staff to perform at their highest levels.”
“We can have a place where people are stretched and challenged and come and do meaningful work, and it needs to be a place where everyone feels respected and they can get a sense of accomplishment in a place where they are valued,” he said. “So I think that this is going to be a wise investment in helping, at the end of the day, the leadership team and the director in particular [while] setting the tone for the entire organization.”
This story was originally published July 10, 2025 at 5:15 AM.
