Director's Office - HHSA

Dr. Elizabeth Hernández is the Interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). She was appointed to lead HHSA in 2025 after serving as Director of Public Health Services (PHS) for four years. During her tenure at PHS, Dr. Hernández oversaw Public Health operations and administrative functions, including Tuberculosis Control, Preparedness and Response, Maternal, Child and Family Health Services, California Children’s Services, HIV/AIDS, STD and Hepatitis, as well as Epidemiology and Immunization Services that serve all 3.3 million San Diego County residents.   

As Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for HHSA, Dr. Hernández oversees a $3.5 billion agency with more than 8,000 employees who deliver essential services to make people’s lives healthier, safer, and self-sufficient. This includes:

• Enrollment in public benefits, such as Medi-Cal, CalWORKS , CalFresh, and General Relief  
• Services that help older adults and people living with disabilities stay in their homes  
• Mental health and substance use services  
• Family strengthening and child protection services  
• Affordable housing and rental assistance, including Section 8      
• Services to prevent and address homelessness, such as outreach and emergency housing 
• Immunizations, infectious disease testing, preventive health services, and other public health services 

Prior to joining the County, Dr. Hernández worked in the capacity of Vice President with the Neighborhood House Association, one of San Diego’s largest nonprofit organizations. She has also worked as a consultant to organizations on program design and evaluation, curriculum and training design, and organizational assessment, and as a psychological assistant, providing child, family, and one on one therapy.    

Dr. Hernández holds leadership positions in several key initiatives and partnerships, including co-chair of the Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership with San Diego State University. She also serves on the Executive Committee for the County Health Executives Association of California and on the Advisory Board for the San Diego State University School of Public Health. Dr. Hernández holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Azusa Pacific University and a Masters and Doctorate in Dual Clinical/Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Alliant International University in San Diego, California. She lives in Chula Vista with her husband and three daughters.