Division Director Tim McDonald announced his retirement from the Snohomish Health District, effective March 29. The Vietnam veteran was also a long-time veteran of local public health, serving communities for 36 years in Washington state. He came to the local Health District in 2008.

As the Director of Communicable Disease Control Division, McDonald was responsible for a budget of more than $5.6 million, and approximately 53 staff supporting emergency preparedness, communicable disease surveillance and response, HIV/STD prevention, tuberculosis control, refugee screening, immunizations, and viral hepatitis outreach and prevention.

After receiving his undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Masters of Public Health at the University of Washington, McDonald served in a variety of environmental health positions, including stints with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle in its Water Quality Division.  In 1987 he became Island County’s Health Services Director, and subsequently their Environmental Health Director.

McDonald’s memberships and professional associations include the American Public Health Association, Washington State Public Health Association, National Environmental Health Association and Washington State Environmental Association. He participates in the Opportunity Council, a private non-profit community action agency serving homeless and low-income families and individuals throughout the counties of Island, Whatcom and San Juan.  He is a past president and former board member of the Washington State Association of Local Public Health Officials, served as co-chair of the Washington State Public Health Improvement Plan Finance Committee, and is past chair of the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Community Environmental Health Assessment Steering Committee.

“Tim McDonald’s strong leadership helped our whole agency get through difficult times,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, Health Officer and Director of the local public health agency. “Tim rallied his staff to meet the challenges of the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, and the more recent local epidemic of whooping cough.”

McDonald and his wife Laura built their retirement home near Coupeville on Whidbey Island.

“Snohomish County’s loss will be Island County’s gain,” said Dr. Goldbaum.