March 27, 2025

For Immediate Release

Redwood City — On a bright late-winter day, Colleen Chawla, San Mateo County’s new health chief, entered Ponderosa House, a locked facility on the Cordilleras Health and Healing Campus, where she chatted with residents with severe mental illness.

Another day she shared snacks with clients at the County’s Navigation Center, which helps people get off the street by providing a range of health, mental health and other services. She’s toured not only County Health’s San Mateo Medical Center and health care clinics that serve thousands of residents but also the County jails.

"I intend to get out and see what we do across the county. I want to hear from our staff and community partners that do the work and from the people they serve. There is no substitute for going and seeing," said Chawla, who is succeeding Louise Rogers as the director of the County’s largest department in number of employees (2,200) and budget size ($1.3 billion). “I want to meet as many people as I can.”

Chawla (pronounced Chavla) is taking over an agency with a primary mission “to help everyone in San Mateo County live longer and better lives.”

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