SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 11, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Dr. Angela Dunn is leaving the Salt Lake County Heath Department for a position with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dunn, the county health department’s executive director since June 2021, will remain in Salt Lake County in her CDC role and work with state and local health officials to ensure they have the needed resources to effectively and efficiently investigate and respond to public health threats.
Her last day with the Salt Lake County Health Department is Feb. 16. A search for a new executive director will begin immediately, county officials said following Thursday’s announcement.
“The [Salt Lake County Board of Health] expresses our thanks to Dr. Dunn for her exceptional service to our community,” said Dan Eckersley, board chairman. “Her passion for public health has left a lasting impact on the department and board, and we commend her leadership, expertise and commitment to improving health outcomes for everyone in Salt Lake County. We are grateful for her dedicated service and wish her continued success.”
Salt Lake County was dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic when Dunn joined the team. County officials say she brought a renewed focus on data, innovation, community outreach and community-led decision making.
“Despite being exhausted mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically, the team wanted to use the pandemic to improve their public health practice,” Dunn said. “They found the strength and will to persevere, supported by a strong and resilient leadership team.”
Dunn successfully led the department through the latter half of the pandemic, as well as a department reorganization and the 2022 monkeypox outbreak.
“It’s been my pleasure to work with Dr. Dunn,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said. “Her ability to make critical decisions, grounded in science and compassion, has been invaluable to our community during challenges such as the COVID pandemic and beyond. As Dr. Dunn embarks on her new journey, I have no doubt that she will continue to make a profound impact on public health. On behalf of Salt Lake County, I extend my gratitude for her service and wish her the very best in the future.”
Prior to joining the county health department, Dunn was the state epidemiologist at the Utah Department of Health and an epidemic intelligence service officer for the CDC.
