MARIN COUNTY (BCN) —   A physician with a long career in public health has been appointed

the new director of Marin County Health and Human Services.

Dr. Grant Colfax, a former advisor to the Obama Administration on

HIV/AIDS, will replace Dr. Larry Meredith who recently retired after 13 years

as director. Colfax’s salary will be $215,342.

Colfax, an 11-year Marin County resident, is expected to be

appointed April 7 by the Marin County Board of Supervisors. His first day on

the job will be May 4 if appointed.

Colfax worked 18 years in public health service at the federal and

state level. He was Director of National AIDS policy for President Barack

Obama from 2012-2014. He was responsible for setting priorities for $23

million in federal funding and directing HIV/AIDS strategy for several

federal departments.

Colfax also was the director of HIV Prevention and Research for

the City and County of San Francisco between 2007 and 2012.

A former resident of Boonville in Mendocino County, Colfax earned

a bachelor’s degree and M.D. from Harvard University. He was an internal

medicine resident and later a fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at the

University of California, San Francisco in the late 1990s before he joined

the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

“Being part of the Obama Administration was a privilege, but I

have sorely missed the proximity, community partnerships and tangible impact

of local public service,” Colfax said.

“Securing the well being of all communities involves meeting many

challenges, including persistent health disparities, an aging population,

suboptimal vaccination rates, the need for affordable housing, gaps in

education and a lack of accessible health food options for many residents

despite a thriving agricultural sector,” Colfax said.

A nationwide search for a new HHS Director drew 69 applications

and several were remarkable contenders, Marin County Administrator Matthew

Hymel said.

“We were particularly impressed with Grant’s combination of

experiences in health policy, leadership and community engagement,” Hymel

said.