New public health director marks first week

WASHINGTON — Newly hired Washington County Public Health Director Emily Tokheim met with health officials and the public during an open house at the Federation Bank building Wednesday.

Tokheim said she was off to a good start.

“It’s been wonderful so far,” she said. “It can be easy to get overwhelmed with all the information that I’m learning, but I will say having Chris Estle, having Peggy Wood, all the staff being so supportive and so helpful has just been really comforting and a great start.”

The week on the job has been uneventful for Tokheim as she gets oriented, but she said the time was invaluable nonetheless.

“The first few days have really been learning about the details of the programs that we have here, in Washington County Public Health,” she said. “There’s so much I can learn on paper, but hearing it from the staff themselves, hearing what they do … so that’s been a huge component of my first few days.”

While she hasn’t had a chance to start making calls, Tokheim said she was happy to have the transition period.

“I’m the kind of person, I like to process things,” she said. “I like to learn them first, have a moment to process them, and then get hands on. This has been kind of a perfect introductory week … I, of course, love learning about public health and there’s only so much I can learn in school, so being able to be here hands on and really getting into all the details of what we do here in this organization, it’s been wonderful.”

Tokheim said she was grateful for the support she’s received in her first week on the job.

“The community members that I have talked with, it’s just been very heartwarming, and I’m really excited to continue,” she said.

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