Public Health & Emergency Management – Intersections of Collective Impact

Prior to 2020, interactions between public health and emergency management were uncommon at the local level and there were few attempts to intentionally bridge governmental silos or find intersections for collective impact. While the pandemic might have brought public health and emergency management together for one mission, it was not always a harmonious partnership. Many longstanding and underlying issues surfaced such as the lack of understanding of each other’s fields, or roles in local government; it was not unusual for employees of the same county, working in public health or emergency management, to not even know each other’s names.

This interactive session will share the experiences of public health and emergency management professionals from three counties. We will share our experiences of what worked and what did not, identify the intersections of our shared work, and provide actionable ways for you to bridge the divide, before, during, and after disasters and emergencies.

About the Presenters

Julie de Losda is the Chief of Emergency Management for Skagit County. Prior to her role as Chief, Julie was the Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager for Skagit County, where she led the community testing and vaccine branch during a three-year COVID-19 response. Julie’s career spans 20 years in State, Regional, and County government roles.

Gabby Hadley, Snohomish County Public Health