Former PHMC scholar, Nate Geerdes.
Nate Geerdes has worked with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office in Washington State for over 20 years.
As caseloads and staff have grown at the Examiner’s Office, leadership recognized the need for an additional supervisory position. Given Nate’s background and experience as a Death Investigator, he was chosen. To help prepare him for this role, his boss suggested that he participate in the Public Health Management Certificate program offered by the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice.
“I’d done some internal managerial training in the past but had never participated in a structured learning environment like this,” Nate explained. “When the program was brought to my attention, I had just stepped into this new managerial position, and I saw this as a great opportunity to grow my leadership skills.”
By focusing on the future of public health leadership, this program helps professionals and organizations create a structured approach to develop and retain top talent. It enables organizations to plan effectively for leadership transitions and create a stable foundation for growth. The program covers a variety of topics, including analyzing organizational systems, budgeting, program evaluation, negotiation and conflict resolution, and more. Nate found something instrumental in each of the course blocks.
“While I took away something from each topic, I found the skills scope analysis and development to be particularly applicable,” Nate explained. “I drew a lot from these materials as I examined and defined my own leadership goals in this new position.”
In addition to the skills gained from the classroom materials, Nate was able to develop many meaningful relationships during the program. “My job is very unique, and a lot of what we’re doing at the Examiner’s Office doesn’t always apply directly to other public health work. I enjoyed building relationships with other professionals across the region. It was inspiring and refreshing to see the variety of work these practitioners are doing, and I like knowing they’re there if I ever need to connect with them for future needs.”
For Nate’s final project, he conducted a staffing model to improve efficiency at his workplace. “Our caseloads have been growing tremendously, and we needed to think about the structure of what we do and how we do it. We have a limited budget, so any changes we might implement need to emphasize efficiency and strategy.”
“Based on the surveys I conducted, we were able to analyze our needs in a very proactive manner. We’ve since hired two assistants and are already seeing the benefits of their presence. We’re planning to do a follow-up assessment this spring so we can continue to grow and improve.”
Based on his experience, Nate encourages other public health professionals to explore the program. “I think this is a great opportunity and a very beneficial course for anyone who’s new to leadership and management. You’ll definitely strengthen your foundational skills and grow immensely. That said, the course is a lot of work, and you should make sure you can juggle the time commitments involved before you commit to it.”
Applications for the 2025–26 Public Health Management Certificate program are being accepted through May 31, 2025. Learn more and apply today.
