Mendocino County hires interim public health director while weighing future of the post

Mendocino County officials have named an interim public health director, the county health and human services agency announced this week.

Mary Alice Willeford, the fiscal manager for the agency’s public health department, will take over as interim director starting Sunday.

The head public health position has been vacant for about a year and a half. For most of that time, the department had been overseen by former Mendocino County Health and Human Services Director Tammy Moss Chandler, who retired in December.

In her new role, Willeford will report to Dr. Jenine Miller, Mendocino County health and human services assistant director.

Following an evaluation of the structure of the health and human services agency, which includes the public health department, the county will decide whether to maintain a permanent health director position and possibly who to hire for that role. That county aims to complete its review in the next few months, Miller said.

In July, the county hired family physician Dr. Howard Andrew “Andy” Coren as public health officer, putting him in charge of determining local COVID-19 restrictions.

You can reach Staff Writer Ethan Varian at ethan.varian@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5412. On Twitter @ethanvarian