Public Health Advisory Council

The Public Health Advisory Council, consisting of 21 unpaid community members and two ex-officio members, is a direct link between the Clark County Board of Health and Clark County residents. The Public Health Advisory Council reviews priority public health needs and makes periodic recommendations to the Board of Health to enhance community health and wellbeing. The council may provide community forums or establish community task forces, as assigned by the Board of Health. And the council reviews and makes recommendations to Clark County Public Health and the Board of Health for the annual budget and fees. The council's current focus areas include supporting Clark County Community Health Improvement Plan priorities and public health legislative priorities.

Council membership

Public Health Advisory Council members are appointed by the Clark County Board of Health for three-year terms. Selections strive for racial and ethnic diversity and representation from all geographic areas of the county.

In April 2021, the Washington legislature passed House Bill 1152, which requires county boards of health to include non-elected members. Local boards of health could retain their composition if the local health department had a community health board established prior to Jan. 1, 2021. Clark County’s Public Health Advisory Council, which was established in 2003 by the Clark County Commissioners, meets the definition of a community health board as outlined in state statute (RCW 70.46.140). 

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Clark County Public Health Advisory Council membership includes:

  • A Clark County federally recognized tribe member
  • A non-elected representative of Clark County cities and towns (other than City of Vancouver)
  • A medical doctor practicing in Clark County
  • A doctor of veterinary medicine practicing in Clark County
  • A nurse practicing in Clark County
  • A dentist practicing in Clark County
  • A representative of the Clark County Restaurant Association
  • A representative of the Clark County septic designers, contractors, pumpers and operations and maintenance specialist
  • A representative from a Clark County water utility
  • A representative of PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center
  • A representative of Legacy Hospital
  • A non-elected representative of the city of Vancouver
  • Three Clark County consumers of public health services
  • A representative from a Clark County social/human services agency
  • A representative from the Clark County educational community
  • A representative from the Clark County law enforcement community
  • A representative from the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA)
  • A representative from the Clark County Youth Commission, Clark County Youth or a representative of local area high schools or local area college
  • The Clark County Health Officer shall be an ex-officio member of the Council.
  • A member of the Local Board of Health shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of the Council  
  • A representative from the Clark County Commission on Aging or aging community 
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Name and representationTerm expires
Franklin Johnson
Clark County Commission on Aging and aging community		9/30/25
Vacant
Clark County educational community		9/30/24
Michael Watkins
Clark County federally recognized tribe member		2/28/26
Kristine Buist
Clark County law enforcement community		9/30/25
Ashley Mariscal
Clark County youth representative		3/31/26
Paul Childers
Clark County Restaurant Association		9/30/25
Mark Collier
Clark County septic contractors		9/30/27
Laurie Schacht
Clark County social/human services		9/30/26
Tyler Clary
Clark County water utility		9/30/26
Marla Sanger
Consumer of public health services		9/30/26
Emily Estes
Consumer of public health services		9/30/26
Sandra Brown
Consumer of public health services		9/30/26
Scott Johnson
CRESA		9/30/26
Kurt Truong
Dentist practicing in Clark County		9/30/26
Kimberly Dauphin
Doctor of veterinary medicine practicing in Clark County		7/31/26
Breein Scarlett-Fiser
Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center		9/30/26
Kevin Fischer
Medical doctor practicing in Clark County		9/30/25
Robert Ferrier
Non-elected representative, cities other than Vancouver		9/30/26
Elma Blum
Non-elected representative, city of Vancouver		9/30/24
Nissa Buchanan
Nurse practicing in Clark County		9/30/25
Tracey Fernandez
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center		9/30/25
Alan Melnick
Clark County Health Officer, ex-officio		No exp. 
Sue Marshall
Local board of health, ex-officio		No exp.

Meetings

Council meetings are open to the public and include time for public comment. As a courtesy to the organizers, please email PHAC if you plan to attend a meeting.

Community members interested in providing public comment during a meeting should review the Public Participation Guidelines for PHAC Meetings.

The council meets 5:30-7:30 pm on the fourth Tuesday of every month, except December. Meetings are typically held via Zoom, however, one meeting per quarter will be in-person at locations across the county.

Next meeting

When: 5:30-7:30 pm Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024
Where: Virtual (Zoom) meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86137322175?pwd=L2ROVWg2aCtWRmJTeFV4Wi9sTlZsdz09

Meeting calendar and agendas

Date Agenda/Minutes Notes/Related Documents Audio/Video

FEBRUARY MEETING CANCELED

Due to a technical error, audio is not available this month.