Gov. Kotek appoints new Dave Baden new interim director for Oregon Health Authority

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Governor Tina Kotek announced Tuesday that she will be appointing Dave Baden as Interim Director for the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) effective March 17.

Dave Baden is currently OHA’s chief financial officer (CFO) and has a demonstrated ability to lead and implement public health initiatives on rapid timelines with transparency and accountability at the forefront, the governor said in a news release.

His accomplishments at OHA included managing OHA’s procurement process for Coordinated Care Organizations, as well as multiple critical roles during the pandemic. He was one of the statewide incident commanders in response to COVID-19, procuring and distributing personal protective equipment to health care systems in Oregon amidst a nationwide shortage.

He also oversaw staffing support for hospitals and long-term care settings during the height of surges brought on by variants, bringing in more than 2,000 staff to Oregon to help keep providers afloat. Additionally, he also led effective vaccine distributions, which contributed to Oregon having the second-lowest COVID-19 case rate and eighth-lowest death rate in the nation.

Baden has a Master of Science in public affairs from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Truman State University.

“Interim Director Baden has a track record of getting things done and leading with transparency,” Governor Tina Kotek said. “I am grateful he’s agreed to take on this position at a critical time for Oregon.”

Governor Kotek announced last Friday that she is opening a search for a permanent OHA director.