Former Obama Administration Advisor Tapped for Marin's New Health and Human Services Director

By Bay City News Service:

A physician with a long career in public health has been appointed the new director of Marin County Health and Human Services.

Dr. Grant Colfax, a former advisor to the Obama Administration on HIV/AIDS, will replace Dr. Larry Meredith who recently retired after 13 years as director. Colfax’s salary will be $215,342.

Colfax, an 11-year Marin County resident, is expected to be appointed April 7 by the Marin County Board of Supervisors. His first day on the job will be May 4 if appointed.

Colfax worked 18 years in public health service at the federal and state level. He was Director of National AIDS policy for President Barack Obama from 2012-2014.

He was responsible for setting priorities for $23 million in federal funding and directing HIV/AIDS strategy for several federal departments.

Colfax also was the director of HIV Prevention and Research for the City and County of San Francisco between 2007 and 2012.

A former resident of Boonville in Mendocino County, Colfax earned a bachelor’s degree and M.D. from Harvard University. He was an internal medicine resident and later a fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of California, San Francisco in the late 1990s before he joined the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

“Being part of the Obama Administration was a privilege, but I have sorely missed the proximity, community partnerships and tangible impact of local public service,” Colfax said.

“Securing the well being of all communities involves meeting many challenges, including persistent health disparities, an aging population, suboptimal vaccination rates, the need for affordable housing, gaps in education and a lack of accessible health food options for many residents despite a thriving agricultural sector,” Colfax said.

A nationwide search for a new HHS Director drew 69 applications and several were remarkable contenders, Marin County Administrator Matthew Hymel said.

“We were particularly impressed with Grant’s combination of experiences in health policy, leadership and community engagement,” Hymel said.