Valenciano
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson have chosen Dr. Sandra Valenciano to say on as the permanent Director of Public Health.
Valenciano has been the county’s head Health Officer and leading the joint city-county health department on an interim basis since a reshuffling of county leadership under Zahilay late last year.
“Dr. Valenciano brings the kind of leadership our region needs right now,” Wilson said in a statement. “Her work is grounded in science and community, and the need to address the root causes of health issues impacting our region. I’m grateful for Dr. Valenciano’s leadership at Public Health – Seattle & King County and know she will continue to ensure we are investing in prevention, addressing inequities, and building a public health system that works for everyone.”
The Public Health – Seattle and King County department leads environmental health tasks like inspecting restaurants, monitoring air and water quality, and controlling the spread of communicable diseases like tuberculosis, HIV, and COVID-19. It also runs programs targeting the root causes of illness including tobacco and vaping prevention, gun violence prevention initiatives, and “Best Starts for Kids,” which focuses on early childhood development. PHSKC operates several Public Health Centers that provide medical and dental services, particularly for low-income residents, refugees, and people experiencing homelessness. They also manage the regional Emergency Medical Services system.
While most public health systems in the U.S. are organized at the county level, a fully integrated “City-County” department like Seattle-King County is relatively rare. Starting in 1951, Seattle and King County have operated under an interlocal agreement. While it is legally a department of King County — all employees are county staff — the City of Seattle provides significant dedicated funding to ensure specific service levels within city limits.
Valenciano was appointed Seattle and King County’s Health Officer in 2025 and joined the department as the primary medical expert tasked with providing leadership on scientific and medical matters that shape department policy and practice and fostering strong relationships with the broader healthcare community.
Because Valenciano is a doctor, she can legally exercise the powers of the Health Officer while also managing the department as the director.
Valenciano replaces Dr. Faisal Khan as director who ran the department from 2022 to 2025.
A department leader in the most challenging days of the pandemic stepped down the year before.
Dr. Jeff Duchin, who was the department’s long-time Health Officer through the COVID years, retired in July 2024 after 30 years of service.
Valenciano must now be approved by the King County Council and Seattle City Council. She will also continue to serve as the county’s Health Officer after comfirmation.
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