April 20, 2021

Salt Lake County and Board of Health Names New Health Officer

(SALT LAKE COUNTY)—Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and the Salt Lake County Board of Health (BOH) are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Angela Dunn as executive director of the Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCoHD). Dunn will replace Gary Edwards, who is retiring in July after 16 years with the department and 40 years in public health. Dr. Dunn will begin work on June 1, working alongside Edwards to facilitate a smooth transition.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Dunn to Salt Lake County in this critical role at this historic time,” Mayor Wilson says. “Dr. Dunn is a household name due to her strength and expertise demonstrated at the state during COVID, but she is equally knowledgeable and committed to all aspects of public health. Dr. Dunn has a broad range of clinical, public health and epidemiologic experience that will ensure the department continues to be a leader among local health departments nationwide. She will be an amazing addition to our county team.”

Dunn received her medical degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and her Master of Public Health in epidemiology from San Diego State University. She joined the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) in 2014 on assignment from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an epidemic intelligence service officer and has served as state epidemiologist for UDOH since 2018.

“Dr. Dunn brings not only public health expertise, but also an understanding of Salt Lake County’s public health needs,” explained Dr. Dot Verbrugge, chair of the BOH. “She has been a reliable and trustworthy public health leader in our community, and we look forward to what she will bring to Salt Lake County. The Board will continue to work collaboratively with the department and county leadership through this important transition period to ensure that the health of Salt Lake County residents remains the primary focus of all that we do.”

Salt Lake County Health Department is one of the largest local health departments in the nation, serving nearly 1.3 million residents. In 2019, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) named SLCoHD “Local Health Department of the Year” in recognition of its exemplary public health work.

“I’m excited to join one of the nation’s most respected local health departments,” Dunn says. “I’m honored to serve the people who live and work in Salt Lake County, which is also my home, and I’m looking forward to working alongside the amazing public health professionals in Salt Lake County.”