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County Executive Mike Callagy announced Thursday the appointment of Colleen Chawla as the new chief of San Mateo County Health, the largest department in the organization.
“I am very excited to introduce Colleen to our community. She brings tremendous enthusiasm to take on this leadership role that has a huge impact on so many of our residents,” said Callagy. “Her extensive experience in executive and health leadership will serve the county and community well today and in the future.”
Chawla comes to the Peninsula from Alameda County Health, where she has served as agency director since 2017.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors is expected to confirm Chawla's appointment on Tuesday. Chawla will take office Feb. 18, 2025, as the head of a department with 2,200 employees and an annual budget of $1.3 billion.
Chawla attributes her interest in health policy and administration to her volunteer work more than three days ago for an AIDS information hotline.
That volunteer position marked the beginning of a career in health policy and public health.