New public health officer for El Dorado County is physician, inventor, author, and decorated federal official

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Dr. Matthew Minson was appointed the county’s public health officer and local registrar for vital statistics during the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.

The board unanimously approved Dr. Minson to fill the position left vacant by Dr. Nancy Williams who retired in June.

“We are delighted to have someone of Dr. Minson’s caliber, experience working with rural counties, and enthusiasm join our County as Public Health Officer,” said Board chair Wendy Thomas as they were speaking with him. “We have a lot to gain from your deep knowledge and experience across all levels of government.”

It is a legal requirement to appoint a full-time health officer, in accordance with the California Health and Safety Code.

“I’m honored and tremendously humbled by this opportunity,” Minson told the Board. “This is important and noble work. My fervent hope is that six weeks from this appointment you are happy I am here and six months later you are proud.”

Minson is a physician, inventor, author, and a decorated and awarded local, state, and federal health official. While at the United States Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Minson led the creation and delivery of the first National Health Security Strategy, the Telehealth Report to Congress, Emergency Use Authorization policies, and was the USDHHS White House Interagency Policy Liaison for Chemical and Biodefense, and countermeasures innovation.

An acknowledged expert in humanitarian response and public health medicine, Minson has more than 20 high-profile field deployments including 9/11, and was Deputy Coordinator for the US Health and Medical Response to the 2010 Haiti Earthquake at USAID. He has also been a medical director/team manager with FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue, the USAR Incident Support Team and was a Federal Medical Specialist Instructor.

He has been honored with appointments to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Public Preparedness forum and as a principal member of the National Fire Protection Association’s committees addressing First Responder Standards in Hazardous Material and WMD environments for the last 20 years. He also serves on the board of directors of HealthcareReady,
addressing supply chain and bridging between government and the private sector.

He holds five patents and academic appointments at the Texas Engineering Extension Service and the Center for Population Health and Aging at Texas A&M.

Dr. Minson is a graduate of the University of Texas Medical Branch where he also completed his internship and residency before completing an advanced track at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston.

Having visited El Dorado County while honeymooning with his wife Kelli, they fell in love with it and made a promise that if circumstances allowed, they would come back here to live.

“I really look forward to being a part of the community and doing great work,” added Dr. Minson.

Minson will begin his tenure on Monday, November 20th. His salary is $251,721.60.