Thurston County Announces New Public Health and Social Services Director

Submitted by Thurston County Public Health

After an extensive nationwide recruitment process, Thurston County has hired David Bayne as the new director of the Public Health and Social Services department. Bayne has a substantial public health background with more than 10 years combined experience.

Bayne holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Berry College and a Master of Public Health from Emory University. He is coming to the county from his role as Deputy Secretary of Strategic Partnerships with the Washington State Department of Health.

The Board of County Commissioners and the Board of Health will work with Bayne, Public Health and Social Services’ employees, local organizations, and community members on various projects to frame the future goals of public health in Thurston County. A strong focus will be on developing new community partnerships on the local and regional levels as well as strengthening existing community collaborative efforts.

Bayne stated, “I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this department at such a critical time and will continue the county’s fight against COVID-19 and other emerging diseases, while keeping the vision for public health and social services moving forward into a new era!”

He takes over as Director of Thurston County Public Health and Social Services from Kurt Hardin who has been the interim director since January 2022. Bayne’s first day on the job will be December 27, 2022.