Matias Valenzuela
Affiliate Assistant Professor, Health Systems and Population Health
Director, Office of Equity and Community Partnerships, Public Health Seattle and King County
206-263-8697 | matias.valenzuela@kingcounty.gov
Bio
Matías Valenzuela, PhD, is the Director of the Office of Equity and Community Partnerships for Public Health – Seattle & King County. In the COVID-19 response, he directed Community Mitigation and Recovery. He was also co-lead in the county’s team for the declaration of Racism as a Public Health Crisis in June 2020.
Previously starting in 2015, he was the first director of the Office of Equity and Social Justice in King County, spearheading a countywide effort to address the root causes of inequities, especially racism, working with all county agencies and the community. Matias has worked at King County since 2000, including as a lead for Equity and Social Justice at its inception in 2008.
Previously in his career, he was a print and broadcast journalist in the United States and abroad. He has been a Fulbright professor in Nicaragua. He currently serves on numerous local and national boards and advisory groups.
Education
PhD Communications, University of Washington, 2000
MA Communications, University of Washington, 1996
BA Communications, University of California (San Diego), 1991