Health official who led SLO County through COVID-19 pandemic to retire
The public health officer who guided San Luis Obispo County through the COVID-19 pandmic will soon retire.
After 18 years of service, San Luis Obispo County Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein will retire on July 3, the county announced on Thursday.
“It has been one of the greatest honors of my career to serve the community members of San Luis Obispo County alongside our incredible public health team,” she said in a news release. “Public health is ultimately about people — protecting our county’s most vulnerable and helping our entire community thrive.”
She continued: “Much of what we accomplished is due to our outstanding public health staff, whose dedication and professionalism make me confident the county is well-positioned for the future.”
Borenstein was hired as the county health officer in 2008, and she’s since led the county’s response to multiple disease outbreaks, including the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and waves of pertussis, meningitis and the measles.
Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked with community partners to issue public health guidance and coordinate COVID-19 testing and vaccination. She spoke regularly at press conferences about the pandemic to keep the community informed about best practices.
“She has strengthened our community’s infrastructure focused on disease prevention, public health emergency preparedness, maternal and child health, traffic safety, aging, health equity, community health improvement planning and much more while strengthening partnerships with local healthcare systems and community organizations,” the release said.
San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding thanked Borenstein for her years of service.
“Dr. Borenstein has been a steady, thoughtful and science-driven leader for our community,” Paulding said in the release. “Her commitment to public service and her unwavering focus on the health and well-being of our community members have made a lasting difference in San Luis Obispo County.”
As of Thursday, the county had started the recruitment process to find a replacement for Borenstein.
