San Diego County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma J. Wooten has been awarded the California Department of Public Health’s highest honor, it was announced Wednesday.
CDPH awarded Wooten the Beverly A. Myers Award for Excellence in Public Health, which is presented annually for outstanding leadership and dedication to all aspects of public health.
At a ceremony in Sacramento, agency leaders honored Wooten for her 23 years of service to the county and highlighted her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The adversity of COVID-19 has not only built her character; it has revealed her character,” CDPH Principal Deputy Director Susan Fanelli said at the award ceremony. “Throughout her life, Dr. Wooten has broken down barriers and served as a role model for young people, especially Black American girls who want to pursue careers in medicine and science.”
Wooten has been one of the leaders on the front lines of San Diego County’s response to the coronavirus, appearing multiple times a week to the media and public to provide updates on the spread of the virus.
In her remarks at the ceremony, she spoke of the support she has received from the county’s public health services team and other health authorities across the state.
Wooten has been a central figure in the county’s response to the coronavirus and has been the subject of intense criticism from the public. She said part of being a public servant is working with people who agree with you and those who disagree.
“What you think is a “great idea” is not just about those who you think support it, but also about those who are reluctant, opposed to, or affected by your important policies, practices, and programs. Make sure you interact with the people who are there,” Wooten said. “And don’t worry about the things you can’t change.”
Wooten joined the county in 2001 and was named public health director in 2007.
She was born in rural Alabama and was the first in her family to attend college, the county said. She graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta with a degree in biology, earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and also earned her doctorate from the School of Medicine.
The Beverly A. Myers Award was established in 1993 to honor the late Beverly A. Myers and her 25-year career at CDPH.