Staff Report
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is pleased to announce that Lars Seifert has been hired as the county’s environmental health services director. Seifert comes with extensive experience working in governmental environmental health programs in Imperial County and, more recently, San Diego County.
Lars Seifert
Seifert served as the chief of the Land & Water Quality Division for the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health. He was responsible for the fiscal, personnel and operational management, and planning oversight of 14 distinct environmental protection programs. He directed and implemented strategic initiatives and operational objectives for county and Cal/EPA-delegated environmental enforcement and monitoring programs. Seifert managed land development review, water quality protection programs, acquisitions, community plans and proposed public infrastructure projects.
“We welcome Mr. Seifert to Santa Barbara County and appreciate the value that his 20 years of leadership experience will add to the Public Health Department’s Environmental Health Services Division,” said Paige Batson, Deputy Director for Community Health. “His commitment to customer service, community engagement, staff mentoring, and project management will be key to ensuring the high quality of services we aim to provide our community.”
In addition, Seifert coordinated messaging and operational responses to community health risks associated with wildfires, beach water quality impairments, safety of drinking water supplies, substandard housing conditions, and sewage and chemical spills.
“I look forward to supporting the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department in the delivery of quality environmental services and to be provided an opportunity to engage local communities in the protection of public health and to ensure a sustainable environment for the future,” Seifert said.
Seifert began with the Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services team on Oct. 26.
