Emerick to lead County Health Department

Dawn Emerick will serve as Benton County’s next Health Department Director. Emerick has more than 20 years of experience working in the health and human services sector and currently is the Public Health Director for Clackamas County, Oregon. Emerick has served in that role since 2016. 

“It is with great enthusiasm that I announce that Dawn Emerick will join the Benton County team. Dawn will bring a great depth and breadth of professional experience to Benton County. Engagement is an essential quality for our organization, and Dawn prioritizes engagement with employees, community members and partners. I believe in her vision for advancing the work of our Health Department in the coming years, and I eagerly look forward to working with her,” said Joe Kerby, Benton County Administrator.

Emerick earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Education from Frostburg State University, a Master of Public Administration specializing in Health Administration and a Doctorate of Educational Leadership specializing in Public Health Marketing, both from the University of North Florida. She is currently pursuing a Master of Population Health Management from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“It is an honor to be selected for this position,” said Emerick. “Throughout the recruitment process I was impressed by the passion of the Health Department staff and their commitment to the mission and value of the work. Benton County has an excellent reputation across the state, not only for implementing best practices and performing high-quality work, but as a community that supports and understands the value of the work performed by the Health Department. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring my skills and experience to Benton County, and I very much look forward to not only working with, but also learning from, Health Department staff and community partners.”

After an extensive nationwide search, Emerick was one of two finalists that was invited to Corvallis, Oregon to interview with the Board of Commissioners, county staff and community stakeholders in early January 2019. The Health Department Director position is currently held by Mitch Anderson. Anderson plans to retire in late March 2019.