We are pleased to announce the hire of our new Public Health Chief Equity Officer and Health Policy and Planning Program Manager, Dr. Tamarra Jones. Dr. Jones has a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Education and a Doctor of Public Health in Preventive Care from Loma Linda University, and a bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Cruz. Dr. Jones has nearly 25 years’ experience in Public Health, including approximately 20 years working in local Departments of Public Health in Nevada and Southern California. Additionally, she has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in Public Health.

Dr. Jones has led, or been a member of, numerous planning bodies, including serving as president for the California Conference of Local AIDS Directors and executive member of the California STD/HIV Controllers Association. Dr. Jones brings a wealth of public health leadership experience working in a diverse array of programs and services supporting underserved populations, prevention programming, and extensive community engagement and collaboration activities. Her most recent position is Division Manager for the Health Promotion and Community Planning Division of the Orange County Health Care Agency. In this role, she has provided oversight and support to the following programs: Injury Prevention, including Safe Routes to School, Local Oral Health, Tobacco Use Prevention, Nutrition Education (CalFresh Healthy Living), Women, Infants, and Children Services, and HIV Planning and Coordination.

Dr. Jones’ passion is community engagement, strategic planning, and collaboration. She brings this passion, coupled with her wealth of knowledge and experience, to her new role as the Public Health Chief Equity Officer and Health Policy and Planning Manager. Her start date is February 28^th, and she looks forward to working collaboratively with peers, colleagues, and community partners to further support strategies to build healthy, equitable communities in San Mateo County. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Jones to San Mateo County Health, and to the contributions she will make to our shared work.