Snohomish County Health Department director tapped as WA health secretary

EVERETT — Gov. Bob Ferguson appointed Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham as the state’s new secretary of health on Monday.

His last day working for Snohomish County will be July 3. On July 7, he’ll begin his new role for the state.

“As Washington’s Secretary of Health, I am honored to serve and deeply committed to upholding and strengthening a public health system that is not only resilient, but also more just,” Worsham said in a county press release Monday. “It is critical that we continue to build a system that earns the trust of communities and strives for every person to have equitable access to the care and resources they need to thrive.”

In the 1990s, Worsham began his public health career in Snohomish County as a health educator and disease intervention specialist during the AIDS epidemic. He later began working as manager of the county’s HIV/STD/Hepatitis Program.

In January 2023, Worsham became the first director of the Snohomish County Health Department. In his time as director, the department reopened an STI clinic, launched a mobile health services program and began renovations of the department’s Everett headquarters. Worsham also worked to increase public health funding for the county, the release said.

“Public health is not just about addressing illness and injury — it’s about preventing them,” Worsham said. “It’s about preparing for the unexpected, addressing root causes of health inequities, and investing in systems that protect people before a crisis begins. We must ensure health and well-being is not a privilege but a shared foundation for all.”

County Executive Dave Somers congratulated Worsham in a press release Monday, saying he was “the right leader at the right time” for the county.

“He took on the role at a time when there were many new opportunities and challenges – the former Health District had just integrated into County government as a new department, and public health was in the midst of a long response to a devastating pandemic as well as ongoing epidemics like the drug crisis,” Somers said. “(Worsham) has never wavered in his support of local public health and the talented team that works to keep our county healthy.”

From 2014 to 2016, Worsham served as the deputy secretary for health for the state. He has held multiple positions at Public Health – Seattle & King County, including interim director of public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Worsham is well positioned to lead the Department of Health,” Ferguson said in a press release Monday. “His decades of experience and broad skillset will help chart a new vision for public health in Washington state.”

Worsham is a lifelong Washingtonian. He grew up in Othello and holds a bachelor’s degree in health services administration from Eastern Washington University.

Snohomish County will begin its recruitment process for a new director in the coming weeks, county health department spokesperson Jeff Hodson said in the release.

“Together, we’ve navigated challenges, built solutions, and strengthened the foundation of health justice in Snohomish County,” Worsham wrote in an internal message to Snohomish County Health Department Staff on Monday. “Your passion and resilience have shaped my leadership, and I carry forward these lessons with profound respect and appreciation.”

Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.