Submitted by Thurston County Board of Commissioners
After a national recruitment process, the Thurston County Board of Commissioners have appointed Schelli Slaughter as the new Director of Public Health and Social Services (PHSS).
After executive sessions held on February 17 and 23, 2017 the commissioners held a vote during an open public meeting on February 23, 2017. After a unanimous vote, the commissioners requested the county manager to offer the position to Ms. Slaughter. She accepted the position and will begin in her role as the director on March 27, 2017. Slaughter is currently the executive director of the Family Support Center of South Sound.
“PHSS historically has done an amazing job at focusing on public health and safety and we know we have strong programs in that area,” said Commission Chair Bud Blake. “What we were really looking for was someone who would focus on enhancing childhood and family prevention social programs in our county.”
Commission Vice-Chair John Hutchings said, “Schelli has played an active role in the Thurston County community for many years. She has been a strong advocate for investing in children and family wellness, which is something we would like to focus on in the coming years.”
“We had a great pool of candidates and feel that Schelli really stood out in the group,” said Commissioner Gary Edwards. “She is very skilled in her profession and is a strong advocate for the more vulnerable populations. Having someone advocate for those populations is important to our community. We look forward to seeing more social service programs in Thurston County.”
