About the Board of Health

What the Board of Health does:

The role of the Board is to advocate for the preservation, promotion, and protection of public health, prevent the spread of disease, set local public health regulations and some fees and licenses, and enforce state and local public health laws. These duties are enumerated in RCW 70.05.060. The Board of Health does not have appropriation (budget) authority. Additionally, the Board takes a racial equity approach to its work and expects its members to be committed to racial equity and ending the impacts of racism on health.

The Board is responsible for:

• Passing rules and regulation

  Passing rules and regulations pertaining to public health (not health care) most typically around issues relating to the spread of communicable disease, nuisances like rodents, septic systems, and food establishments like restaurants. For example, the Board sets fees that the Health Department charges for restaurant inspections, creates rules to control of rabies in pets, and establishes laws such as regulating e-cigarettes.

• Creating and passing resolutions

  Creating and passing resolutions, which are policy statements in support of projects or programs. Resolutions are not legally enforceable, but represent the voice of the Board in support of such issues as supporting funding for public health and declaring racism to be a public health crisis.

• Developing guidelines and recommendations

  Using expert testimony and research, the Board creates guidelines and recommendations that may be adopted by various entities. For example, the Board has developed guidelines for healthy vending machines and recommendations for the components of healthy housing.

Metropolitan King County Councilmembers

King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave, Suite #1200, Seattle, WA 98104

Members are appointed for 1-year terms by the King County Council.

View King County Council

• Joe McDermott

  Chair
  District 8
  Term expires December 31, 2023

• Reagan Dunn

  District 9
  Term expires December 31, 2023

• Jeanne Kohl-Welles

  District 4
  Term expires December 31, 2023

• Rod Dembowski

  Alternate member representing the King County Council
  District 1
  Term expires December 31, 2023

Suburban City Elected Members

Members are appointed for 1-year terms by the Sound Cities Association.

• Susan Honda, Deputy Mayor, City of Federal Way

  Vice-Chair
  Term expires December 31, 2023

• David Baker, Mayor and City Councilmember, City of Kenmore

  Term expires December 31, 2023

• Heather Koellen, Councilmember, City of North Bend

  Alternate member representing the Sound Cities Association
  Term expires December 31, 2023

• Jeralee Anderson, Councilmember, City of Redmond

  Alternate member representing the Sound Cities Association
  Term expires December 31, 2023

Public Health, Facilities and Providers

Members are recommended by the Board and appointed by the King County Council.

• Butch de Castro, PhD, MSN/MPH, RN, FAAN*

  Term expires December 31, 2023

• Lisa Chew, MD, MPH

  Term expires December 31, 2023

• Katherine Gudgel, MS*

  Term expires December 31, 2024

• Patricia Egwuatu, DO

  Alternate member representing Public Health, Facilities and Providers.
  Term expires December 31, 2025

*Has environmental health expertise

Community Stakeholders

• Victor Loo
  Term expires December 31, 2025