The new director of the newly formed El Paso Department of Public Health is Michael Hill. Hill, like his predecesor Bob Galvan, is not a MD. The director of the previous El Paso City/County Health Department was Dr. Jorge Magaña but after problems with the spread of West Nile Virus during the floods of 2006; Magaña was fired. (Upper Valley Beacon broke the story of poor mosquitoe containment in the Upper Valley).

The City of El Paso Department of Public Health is the largest health department on the Texas border.

Mr. Hill has extensive experience in a variety of areas, such as public health preparedness, disease control, and public health information systems. As Health Director, he will oversee a staff of 360 and an annual operating budget of $24.4 million. Mr. Hill will provide leadership in operations for Animal Services, Public Health Preparedness, Epidemiology, Food Inspection, Health Education, Immunization, Laboratory, Rawlings Dental Clinic, STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) Control, Tuberculosis (TB) Control, Texas Vaccines for Children, Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and 2-1-1.

Mr. Hill held the position of Administrator and Health Officer for the Okeechobee County Health Department in Florida from 2000 – 2006, where he successfully reduced Hepatitis A cases from 101.5 per 100,000 to 0 in less than three years. He provided public health leadership to support Florida counties impacted by Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jean in 2004 and to Mississippi areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Most recently, he served as Senior Deputy Director of Disease Control and Prevention for San Joaquin County Public Health Services in Stockton , California where he led teams including public health laboratory, epidemiology, TB control, communicable disease control, AIDS, STD, public health preparedness and clinical services.

“Our goal for fiscal year 2009 is to begin the process of transforming the Department of Public Health into a high-performing, results-oriented organization that will be universally respected by citizens, professional partners and peer agencies”, says Hill. Mr. Hill states that his immediate goals for the Department of Public Health are “to increase collaboration with the community and with stakeholders”. His long-term goals for the Department of Public Health are to make El Paso the healthiest community it can be. Mr. Hill states that he is “looking forward to working towards building a healthy future for all El Pasoans”.

Michael Hill holds a Master of Public Health from the University of South Florida , a Master of Public Administration from Florida Atlantic University , and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Northern Michigan University . He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), a Certified Public Health Administrator (CPHA), and a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Mr. Hill is the current president of the National Association for Public Health Information Technology and currently serves on the governing council for the American Public Health Association.

Prepared by WestsideReader staff.

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