Raynard Washington
Director, Mecklenburg County Public Health, State of North Carolina
Raynard Washington, PHD, MPH currently serves as Mecklenburg County’s Public Health Director, responsible for leading more than 900 interdisciplinary public health professionals who work daily to protect and promote health among county residents with an emphasis on improving health equity and responding to potential health threats. Prior to this role, he served as the Deputy Health Director, overseeing internal operations, and leading the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before moving to Charlotte, NC, Dr. Washington served as Chief Epidemiologist and Deputy Health Commissioner for the City of Philadelphia. There he made significant progress in expanding and integrating public health data systems, led the development of the city’s community violence prevention strategy, and completed the first-ever regional Community Health Assessment. Dr. Washington earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.
Watch full interview
“Equity as it relates to race, income — and all other factors by which people don’t have access to care and services — was at the center. We were working to incorporate it from the beginning.”
Raynard Washington
Director, Mecklenburg County Public Health, State of North Carolina
Raynard Washington, PHD, MPH currently serves as Mecklenburg County’s Public Health Director, responsible for leading more than 900 interdisciplinary public health professionals who work daily to protect and promote health among county residents with an emphasis on improving health equity and responding to potential health threats. Prior to this role, he served as the Deputy Health Director, overseeing internal operations, and leading the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before moving to Charlotte, NC, Dr. Washington served as Chief Epidemiologist and Deputy Health Commissioner for the City of Philadelphia. There he made significant progress in expanding and integrating public health data systems, led the development of the city’s community violence prevention strategy, and completed the first-ever regional Community Health Assessment. Dr. Washington earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.
“Equity as it relates to race, income — and all other factors by which people don’t have access to care and services — was at the center. We were working to incorporate it from the beginning.”
Watch full interview