10/17/2005 GAAS:494:05 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version |
Governor Schwarzenegger Appoints Dr. Mark Horton State Public Health Officer
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced the appointment of Dr. Mark Horton as state public health officer.
"Mark has dedicated nearly three decades to protecting public health and safety and ensuring the protection and wellbeing of children. He has the experience, knowledge and skills necessary to serve California in this critical role," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "He shares my top priority of ensuring the safety and protection of every Californian and my dedication to providing a healthy, secure environment for our children. I am confident he is the right person to help guide our state through the complex public health challenges we face."
Horton is a pediatrician and public health official with more than 28 years of experience. He has served as the deputy agency director and health officer for the County of Orange Health Care Agency since 1999. Prior to that, he was vice president for community programs, director of the Center for Child Protection and director of the Center for Healthier Communities for Children at San Diego Children's Hospital and Health Center from 1997 to 1999. For the preceding seven years, Horton served as director of public health for the State of Nebraska. From 1990 to 1991, he was director of general and ambulatory pediatrics for Creighton University Medical Center and from 1981 to 1989, Horton was a pediatrician at Boystown National Research Hospital. His experience also includes three years as a pediatrician with the Craven County Health Department and two years as director of general ambulatory pediatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Horton has also served in several academic positions, including as adjunct professor for the San Diego State University School of Public Health, faculty pediatrician for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, assistant professor for the Department of Pediatrics at the Creighton University School of Medicine and assistant professor for the University of Nebraska School of Medicine. In addition, he is an active member of the medical and public health communities, serving as a member of many boards, committees and commissions including the Orange County Health Care Agency Executive Team, the Children's Services Coordination Committee, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Board of the American Lung Association of Orange County, the Environmental Health Tracking Project, the Orange County Children and Families Commission Technical Advisory Committee and the National Association of County and City Health Officials Tobacco and Chronic Disease Advisory and Environmental Health Committees. Horton also serves on the board of the Orange County Health Needs Assessment Community Partners and co-chairs the Children's Healthcare Initiative.
"I am honored Governor Schwarzenegger has asked me to serve as our state's public health officer," said Horton. "I look forward to using my experience as a physician and public health official to work for the protection and promotion of health for all Californians."
Horton, 59, of La Jolla, earned a Medical Doctorate degree and a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Louis University and holds a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina School of Public Health. He was an ambulatory pediatrics fellow at the Duke University Medical Center and pediatric resident at Northwestern University's Children's Memorial Hospital. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $200,000. Horton is a Democrat.
The state public health officer is responsible for advising the Governor, the secretary of Health and Human Services and the director of the Department of Health Services on public health issues. In addition, the state public health officer seeks out public health issues that need to be addressed and directs policy development on those issues.
The Department of Health Services, as part of its mandate to protect and improve the health of all Californians, administers a broad range of public and clinical health programs that provide health care services, including the Medi-Cal program, throughout California. The Department operates under the aegis of the California Health and Human Services Agency.
Horton is expected to assume this position on November 7, 2005.
