“Helping the helpers.” That’s how Kat DeBurgh, Executive Director of the Health Officers Association of California (HOAC), describes her work, and it couldn’t be more fitting. Each day, she and Dalia Navarro, HOAC’s Director of Operations, along with their colleagues Hilary Peery, Meeting Planner, Isabella Argueta, Director of Legislation, and Zach Flowers, Legislative Analyst, ensure that the people protecting public health across California have the tools, support, and community they need to succeed.
HOAC’s first interaction with Heluna Health was in 2005, when Heluna helped the organization place a job ad in the Sacramento Bee — the ad that ultimately brought DeBurgh to the team. What began as an administrative partnership has evolved into a strong, collaborative relationship that continues to support HOAC’s growth today.
Founded in 1969 and based in Sacramento, HOAC is the membership organization representing California’s 61 local health officers, including one in each county, plus the cities of Berkeley, Pasadena, and Long Beach. “Our mission is to optimize the role of the local health officer to improve the health of all Californians,” DeBurgh explains. “That means providing continuing education, legislative advocacy, mental health support, and community.”
HOAC offers accredited continuing medical education (CME) focused on public health, ensuring that California’s health officers have the specialized knowledge they need to navigate complex health challenges. The association also leads legislative advocacy, reviewing bills that affect local health departments and serving as a unified voice in the State Capitol.
Beyond policy and education, HOAC fosters connection. Through in-person meetings, regional development days, and virtual ‘office hours’,” the association provides a vital network for health officers who might otherwise feel isolated in their work. “Connection is the foundation,” says Navarro. “We let people know they’re not alone — that others are out there doing similar work, facing similar challenges. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to make the job feel more doable.”
As Director of Operations, Navarro’s work spans IT, finance, compliance, communications, and more. “There isn’t really a typical day,” she says. “The requests that come in from staff for support really dictate what I’m working on.” While the work varies from day to day, Navarro approaches it with the same steady energy and care. “She handles all those ‘unglamorous’ back-office tasks that allow the rest of us to focus on supporting health officers,” DeBurgh notes. “She’s the one making sure the rent gets paid, the insurance is renewed, and our systems are running. I know I can trust her completely.”
That trust is central to HOAC’s culture. “We always say, ‘ask for help before you need it’,” DeBurgh shares. “We all get busy, but we talk openly about what’s on our plates. If someone is overloaded, we figure out what to take off. That kind of teamwork keeps us healthy as an organization.” Navarro is quick to credit HOAC’s positive culture to DeBurgh’s leadership. “Kat is such a supportive leader. She listens to us and makes sure we know our input is valued. She also shares the feedback she gets from health officers, so even though I’m behind the scenes, I can see the difference our work makes.”
In recent years, HOAC has expanded its programs to meet the evolving needs of health officers, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. “From 2020 to 2024, more than a third of California’s jurisdictions lost their health officer,” DeBurgh says. “That’s a huge turnover — about 40% of our members are new since the start of the pandemic. They need to be brought up to speed.”
To meet that need, HOAC launched a nine-month orientation program for new health officers, expanded its CME offerings, and introduced a mental health program providing counseling sessions tailored to physician well-being. Regional “development days” combine professional learning with restorative activities that range from mindfulness workshops to hiking and pickleball. “It’s important for physicians, especially public health physicians, to take care of themselves,” DeBurgh says. “When you’re a caregiver, you have to care for yourself too.”
At its core, the Health Officers Association of California is a community united by purpose and compassion. From staff and board members to health officers across the state, everyone is driven by the same goal — to protect and improve the well-being of Californians. As Navarro puts it, “We might be a small organization, but that makes us mighty. Everyone here cares deeply about our members, about their communities, and about each other. And when people are kind and supportive, it makes even the hardest work possible.”
Click here to learn more about HOAC.
