Schwarzenegger Names Orange County Health Director as State Public Health Officer
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Monday appointed Orange County Health Officer Mark Horton to the position of state public health officer, the Los Angeles Times reports (Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 10/18).
Horton, a pediatrician, has served as health officer and deputy director of the Orange County Health Care Agency since 1999 (Office of the Governor release, 10/17).
Horton will assume the new position Nov. 7, replacing Richard Jackson, who in May resigned from the post after 14 months. The appointment does not require Senate confirmation.
The state public health officer advises the governor, the secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency and the director of the Department of Health Services on issues related to public health (Los Angeles Times, 10/18).
Horton, a Democrat, served as director of public health for Nebraska for seven years and held various directorial positions at San Diego Children's Hospital and Health Center from 1997 to 1999.
He also has held faculty positions at San Diego State University, the University of Nebraska and Creighton University. Horton has served as a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Board of the American Lung Association of Orange County and other public health associations (Office of the Governor release, 10/17).