Chelan-Douglas Health District Taps Hosey As Chief Administrator

The Chelan-Douglas Health District (CDHD) has chosen Kristen Hosey as its new chief administrator.

East Wenatchee mayor Jerrilea Crawford chairs the Chelan-Douglas Health Board. She says the board unanimously approved Hosey's appointment.

Hosey's previous title was interim administrator. Since February she had been filling in for departed administrator Luke Davies, who resigned after three years on the job. Davies' tenure coincided with the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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About 30 people applied in hopes of succeeding Davies. By last week the applicant pool had been winnowed down to two finalists: Hosey and James Rivard. The former is a trained nurse with more than 15 years' experience, including a stint with the Peace Corps. The latter is a public health veteran and longtime instructor at Yakima Valley College.

"We were all very impressed by [Rivard] as well," Crawford says. "What's great about Chelan-Douglas Health District is we have several open positions he might fit into."

Ultimately, Crawford says, there was no one reason Hosey triumphed over Rivard. The board went with Hosey for a host of reasons.

"There was a variety of factors that the board members discussed," Crawford says. "I think what probably stood out the most was her experience with public health."

"She's been serving in a public health setting for quite some time. Obviously she's been at the CDHD as an interim and also a deputy director."

As of right now Hosey lacks a definitive start date; Crawford says that June 1 would be ideal for all parties involved. In the meantime Hosey will negotiate a salary with the executive board.