Without much fanfare or a major announcement, Dr. Kevin Sherin, director of the Orange County health department and the top public health official here, is retiring on May 2, ending an almost two-decade legacy.
During his tenure, Sherin expanded a full-service HIV clinic, increased access for low-income individuals and secured a $6.6 million grant to make college and school campuses smoke-free. He also took on different roles in the community, including volunteering at Shepherd’s Hope.
More recently, Sherin was a champion of raising awareness about Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, which play a major role in the lifelong health of individuals.
“To know Dr. Sherin means that at some point you have discussed health equity, equality of rights or health disparities with him,” said Nasseam James, deputy health officer at the county health department, in an email. “He is a dedicated physician with a heart for advocacy.”
Sherin has taken time off leading to his retirement. James has assumed his responsibilities in the interim.
“After Dr. Sherin retires, the state office has the responsibility of selecting the next Health Officer and I am fully confident that a worthy candidate will be identified,” said James.
Sherin did not respond to our request for comment.
Sherin took a brief break from leading the county health department in 2014, when he accepted a job at the California Department of Public Health.
He returned to Florida within a year, bringing with him new ideas.
“One of the things that’s getting a lot of buzz here is Accountable Communities for Health,” he said in a 2015 interview. Such communities have transparency, data sharing and global payment systems, Sherin explained. “They try to get to another level – not only health care but also moving the needle for health status.”
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