Bios
Patty Hayes, RN, MN, Chair - Health and Sanitation
Patty Hayes, RN, MN, was appointed WSBOH Chair by Governor Jay Inslee on October 18, 2023. Chair Hayes has over 35 years' experience in public health and policy. As Director of Public Health Seattle & King County, Patty oversaw the county's COVID-19 response, a staff of 1,500 and programs ranging from environmental health, chronic disease & injury prevention, direct services such as maternal-child health & school-based health, HIV/STD prevention and treatment, data and epidemiology, as well as jail health services and coordination of the EMS system in the County.
Prior positions included Executive Director of WithinReach, Assistant Secretary for DOH's Community Family Health Division and Director of DOH's Policy Legislative and Constituent Relations Office. She retired in 2021. Patty received her undergraduate and master's degree from the University of WA School of Nursing. Patty has received numerous awards including being inducted into the WA Nursing Hall of Fame in 2002; the UW Alumna Summa Laude Dignata Award in 2020; and the MLK Medal of Distinguished Service in 2021 from the King County Council.
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Mindy Flores, MHCM - Consumer of Health Care
Deeply rooted in service, Ms. Flores benevolently works with underrepresented, underserved, and vulnerable communities. She is passionate about utilizing innovative and diverse strategies that stimulate inclusive practices with high-function systems to ensure equitable, quality health care systems for all.
Melinda “Mindy” Flores currently serves as the Dental Quality Assurance Manager at Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (SITC) Dental Clinic with a strong background in strategy, quality improvement, systems transformation, and facilitative leadership. Ms. Flores is also an executive team member of the newly developed dəxʷx̌ayəbus - Dental Therapy Education Program at Skagit Valley College (SVC) and its affiliated partner, SITC. dəxʷx̌ayəbus, pronounced as dahf-hi-ya-buus, is a Lushootseed tribal word meaning Place of Smiles. She is an active member of numerous national, state, and local health boards and community groups that support and promote oral health initiatives and programs.
Mindy earned a bachelor degree from Seattle University and a master’s with emphasis in Healthcare Management Administration. She shares a blessed life with her husband, Jesse and three keikis – Theodore Makana, Jesse Allen, and Amelie.
Lindsay Herendeen - Health Impact Reviews
Lindsay Herendeen joins the State Board of Health as a Health Policy Analyst responsible for conducting Health Impact Reviews.
Prior to joining the State Board of Health, Lindsay worked as a health educator for the Washington State Department of Health in the Office of Environmental Public Health Sciences and the Health Promotion and Communication Section. She managed a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, led outreach efforts for fish consumption advisories, and developed and evaluated health education materials for the agency. She has experience conducing quantitative and qualitative research on a range of health topics.
Lindsay received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Political Science from Allegheny College and her Master of Public Health and Master of City and Regional Planning degrees from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
Stephen Kutz, BSN, MPH - Health Official and member of a federally recognized Tribe in Washington
Steven Kutz, MPH, BSN, LTC USA (Retired) is a member of Southwest Washington’s Cowlitz Indian Tribe and served on its Tribal Council for approximately 20 years. He is currently employed by the Suquamish Tribe, where he serves as the Health Clinic Director.
Mr. Kutz received his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Eastern Washington University in 1974 and has worked as a nurse for nearly 47 years. He received his master’s degree in public health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in 1993. He served 20 years on active duty as a nurse in the U.S. Army in most all facets of their health care system, with 13 of those years spent in preventive medicine and community health. He also worked for more than 12 years in a county health department in Washington as director of public health nursing, while also serving as the health department director for eight years. He served the Cowlitz Tribe for almost 16 years as the Clinic Manger, Deputy Director, and Executive Director of Health and Human Services. Mr. Kutz served as the Suquamish Tribal delegate to the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and has been its delegate to the Health and Human Services American Indian/Alaskan Native Health Research Advisory Council 2008 until 2016, as well as serving as a delegate to the IHS budget formulation committee, Indian Health Care Improvement advisory committee, one term as the alternate to the HHS Secretaries Advisory committee, and one term as the delegate to the CDC and NIH Tribal advisory committee. He is active in health policy issues at the national, state, and local levels.
Mr. Kutz also served as a delegate to the Washington State American Indian Health Commission for almost 20 years and currently serves as their Chair. He works on the State Mental Health Committee that is advising the state in its efforts to redesign how Medicaid mental health services are delivered to American Indians and Alaskan Natives. He currently serves as the State Board of Health’s delegate to the Governors Interagency Council on Health Disparities.
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Paj Nandi, MPH - Health and Sanitation
A native of India, Paj Nandi has lived in the U.S. for over 25 years and happily calls Seattle home. Early in his career, Paj worked in childhood education (India) and tuberculosis prevention (Thailand) and learned firsthand the value and efficacy of using culturally relevant and community-rooted approaches to improve health. Paj earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education from Western Washington University and a Master of Public Health degree from the George Washington University in Washington D.C.
Paj is a seasoned public health practitioner, leader, and strategist with over 20 years of experience. He currently serves as an Associate Vice President at Desautel Hege (DH) Communications where he provides strategic counsel and leads key initiatives to advance equity-centered communications and DEI practices. Previously, he served as the Director of Community Relations and Equity for the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). As an agency leader, he advised the Secretary of Health, the State Health Officer, and other agency leaders on key equity and community relations issues and represented DOH on the Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities from 2016 to 2021. He also directed his team’s work on various equity and social justice strategic initiatives, including during the COVID-19 pandemic response. In addition, Paj built and sustained partnerships with the Governor’s Office, non-governmental entities, community-based organizations, and academic partners, with an emphasis on achieving health equity, centering community voices, and eliminating structural inequities.
Paj’s prior experience at DOH, in healthcare, and private sectors include leading and managing statewide chronic disease prevention and management programs; working on maternal, child and adolescent health campaigns and priorities; and leading enterprise-wide employee health and wellness benefits efforts. He also served on the Board of the Washington State Public Health Association for seven years, including a term as President in 2016-17 and briefly served as faculty on the Health and Wellbeing Curriculum Committee for Leadership Tomorrow, a program designed to cultivate the next generation of Puget Sound leaders.
As part of exploring new pathways within public health practice, Paj recently co-founded a small, independent consulting firm specializing in health equity strategy, The Upstream Group. He also holds a Clinical Faculty position at the University of Washington’s School of Public Health and has previously taught at the Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill and the Evergreen State College.
At home, Paj enjoys spending time with his husband, their cat, and singing with his music circle.
Hannah Haag -
Hannah joined the Washington State Board of Health as a Community Outreach Coordinator on October 1, 2021. Prior to joining the board, Hannah worked as the Program Manager for the Economic Resilience Initiative at the YWCA of Seattle – King County – Snohomish County, working on racial justice in the financial industry and supporting financial wellbeing for communities furthest from opportunity. Hannah holds an MA from Antioch University Seattle in Organizational Development and has over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including community organizing, leadership development, immigrant rights, and financial education and coaching, both in Latin America and the United States. When she’s not fighting racial and financial injustice, she’s playing with her two kids outside, gardening, or hiking with her family.
Michelle Davis -
Michelle Davis joined the State Board of Health as executive director in October 2011 with 20 years of state service. Michelle came to the Board with a strong background in public health policy development. Most recently, Michelle was assistant director for the Department of Health’s Office of Policy, Legislative and Constituent Relations. In that capacity, she served as a legislative liaison for the Department of Health, advocating the department’s position on health–related state and federal legislation, budget, and policy proposals.
Prior to that, Michelle served as the department’s regulatory affairs manager, overseeing the implementation of sweeping regulatory reform legislation and the development of significant public health regulations. She was also the department’s legislative coordinator. Michelle has worked as the department’s liaison to the Board since 2001. Early in her career, Michelle worked briefly for the Governor’s Office and the Office of Minority and Business Enterprises.
Michelle earned her bachelor of arts degree in political science from Western Washington University and her master’s degree in public administration from The Evergreen State College
Peter Browning, MA - County Elected Official Serving on a Local Board of Health
Commissioner Browning was first elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2020 and again in 2024. Before his election, he worked as Executive Director of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, Director of the Skagit County Public Health Department, worked for Seattle King County Public Health, and was a restaurant owner in Aspen Colorado. He also serves as Skagit Regional Health Commissioner.
Peter has a Masters in Anthropology from Western Washington University, has taught Anthropology at Seattle Central Community College and Whatcom Community College and was Clinical Faculty at the University of Washington for many years.
Commissioner Browning’s health and business background brings a unique perspective to the Board. In addition to his work experience, he has served terms as the President of the Skagit Rotary, Chairman of the United Way of Skagit County, member of the United General Hospital Quality Control Team, and the Skagit County Substance Abuse Board. Currently, Peter serves on the board of the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County, and Chinook Enterprises.
Commissioner Browning and his spouse chose Skagit Valley to raise their two kids and have lived here for over 30 years.
Kelie Kahler -
Kelie Kahler joins the State Board of Health as a Communications Consultant. Kelie brings nine years of communications, marketing, and public relations leadership and experience to her position. Kelie provides strategic direction and implementation of communications strategies to promote the Board’s work while delivering timely and informative public information to ensure the Board’s partners, colleagues, legislators, fellow government agencies, and the public are apprised of and informed about the Board’s work and initiatives.
Kelie graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Journalism. She most recently provided communications and marketing management and leadership to a number of K-12 programs in King and Pierce counties through the Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD). While there, Kelie discovered a great interest in health related matters while leading marketing strategies for PSESD’s Dropout, Prevention, and Reengagement; Prevention Center; and Equity in Education programs. She witnessed how health and education are interconnected and effect student outcomes, specifically those effected by the Opportunity Gap. Kelie is an active member in Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), a leading national professional development association for public relations practitioners in the U.S.
Melanie Hisaw -
Melanie joined the State Board of Health in April 2014. Melanie serves as the Executive Assistant to the Executive Director.
Melanie brings many years of experience in both the government and private sector to the Board. A Spokane native, Melanie moved to Olympia in 1989 when she began her career as a Legislative Assistant in the Washington State House of Representatives. In 1991 she began working as a Legislative Assistant in the Senate, where she worked for both eastern and western Washington legislative districts working on behalf of issues such as health policies, environmental concerns and higher education. More recently, Ms. Hisaw has worked in support for associations and contract lobbyists.
An avid volunteer, Melanie has served on the local PTA Board for several years and is active in community outreach. Since 1984 Melanie has spent most of her summers in Petersburg, Alaska, supporting the family commercial fishing operation and working for Icicle Seafoods Inc.
Melanie received her bachelor of science degree in Organizational and Mass Communications from Eastern Washington University. During and after college she traveled internationally extensively participating in work and volunteer programs in Great Britain, Europe and Asia.
Dennis Worsham - Secretary of Health, Department of Health
A lifelong Washingtonian raised in Eastern Washington, Dennis brings 32 years of distinguished service in Washington State's public health system to this critical role. His career began at the Snohomish Health District in the 1990s, where he discovered his passion for public health's mission and addressing systemic health inequities while working as health educator during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Most recently, he served as the first Director of the Snohomish County Health Department since January 2023. Dennis also brings a deep commitment to working collaboratively with all parts of the public health system including our Tribal, state, local, community and healthcare partners.
His extensive background includes:
- Prior Executive Leadership Experience: Interim Director of Public Health – Seattle & King County, and Deputy Secretary for Health at the Washington State Department of Health (2014-2016)
- Diverse Public Health Expertise: From TB control and HIV/STD/Hepatitis programs to chronic disease and other policy development, community partnerships, and communications
- Deep Commitment to Partnerships: Active involvement with the Washington State Public Health Association, Public Health Roundtable, Washington State Association of Public Health Officials, and Foundational Public Health Services committee
- Lifelong Equity Champion: A commitment to lead public health policy and practice through an equity and community-centered lens. He helped create the very first leadership positions in various agencies to advance organizational equity and health justice
Secretary Worsham's unique perspective, shaped by firsthand experience in both rural communities and large urban systems, positions him as a leader who understands that public health affects all of us—regardless of where we live or who we are. His vision centers on the understanding that public health challenges don't recognize geographic boundaries, and neither should our solutions.
Socia Love, MD - Health and Sanitation
From promoting higher education among Native American youth during her years at the University of Oklahoma to founding the first chapter of the Association of Native American Medical Students (ANAMS) at the University of Minnesota-Duluth Medical School, Dr. Socia Love (Cherokee/Yuchi/Delaware) has always shown her passion for education and care for her community. It was through ANAMS that she developed a mentorship program for Native medical students and physicians across the country.
Pursuing her specialty training in Family Medicine at the Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB), a non-profit community health clinic whose mission statement is “For the Love of Native People,” was a natural next step. Following her training, she served as SIHB’s residency director for 4 years, coupling her enthusiasm in recruiting and retaining doctors who share the organization’s love and commitment to the diverse, underserved communities which visit the clinic. Dr. Love is now Chief Health Officer for SIHB, a position which allows her to further advocate for equitable health care. At SIHB, she provides care to all ages, including obstetrics and hospital medicine.
In her free time, Dr. Love enjoys exploring the PNW with her family, dancing traditional southern buckskin at pow wows, cycling and swimming, and engaging in social justice work.
Stuart Glasoe - Environmental Health
Stuart Glasoe joined the State Board of Health in April 2017. In his role, Stuart supports policy work and rulemaking on environmental public health issues.
Prior to joining the Board, Stuart worked at the Washington Department of Health for ten years as National Estuary Program Manager, Wastewater Program Manager, and Puget Sound Shellfish Lead. Stuart worked for 17 years in the Governor’s Puget Sound office on shellfish protection, nonpoint pollution, and community outreach, and prior to that served as an environmental planner at the Washington Department of Ecology on water and air quality issues.
Stuart received bachelor’s degrees in environmental science and earth science from Minot State University in North Dakota and his master’s degree in regional planning (resource management) from Washington State University.
Kelly Oshiro, JD, Vice Chair - Consumer of Health Care
Kelly Oshiro is an Assistant Attorney General for the Washington Attorney General’s Office serving the Department of Children, Youth and Families in Southwest Washington. She previously worked as a family law attorney at a local firm in Portland. Prior to law school, she worked as Demographic Research Analyst at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs preparing reports on health outcomes in Native Hawaiian populations and also served as a Healthcare Policy Analyst for Governor Neil Abercrombie in the State of Hawaii. Kelly received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and juris doctor from the University of Oregon.
Caitlin Lang-Perez - Health Policy Analyst
Cait Lang-Perez joins the State Board of Health as a Health Policy Analyst responsible for conducting Health Impact Reviews.
Prior to joining the Board, Cait worked with the Washington State Department of Transportation to examine policy, performance metrics, and process-related products with the potential to improve the agency’s ability to incorporate public health considerations within planning and project development. Her interest in the transportation system’s influence on human health stems from her work developing and implementing a policy surveillance codebook for Public Health – Seattle & King County to assess correlation between active transportation policies and human health outcomes. In addition, Cait has experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research on a range of topics related to the social determinants of health (economic stability, education, social context, built environment, and healthcare) and equity.
Cait earned her bachelor’s degree in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley, her multiple subject teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University, and her master of public health degree from the University of Washington
