Health department director under fire for alleged toxic work environment

Three unions representing employees with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department filed a complaint with the Board of Health against the department’s public health director Chantell Harmon Reed alleging bullying, unethical behavior and a toxic work environment.

Reed has served in her role for about a year. She came on as director last March after a lengthy search when its previous director, Anthony Chen, retired, as previously reported by The News Tribune.

According to the complaint, which was sent to The News Tribune and filed March 28, employees said Reed has created “an extremely hostile work environment” that is causing the department to “[lose] good people at a time when a competent public health presence is needed.”

The letter also alleged Reed “is demeaning, belittling, condescending and disrespectful in her communication with staff at all levels,” yells, name-calls, is dismissive, pushes her own agenda, has created an environment where staff are fearful and afraid to speak up, is late to meetings and unprepared and hired a friend without posting the job or conducting interviews, among other issues. It was signed by union representatives with the Teamsters Local 117, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 120 and Tacoma Pierce County Public Health Employees Association.

The unions requested the Board of Health to “immediately commence an outside investigation so employees at every level can be open and honest without the fear of retaliation and retribution.”

In an email to The News Tribune Friday, a representative with the health department said board members met in executive session April 2 to discuss the complaint with legal counsel.

“The Board takes all complaints seriously, especially when one is filed against someone in a position of leadership. We also must ensure due process. To do so, we plan to hire an outside agency to investigate this matter. While that process takes place, we will not comment on any specific allegations,” said board chair and city councilor Joe Bushnell in an emailed statement. “The Board of Health will continue to support Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and all its employees in its mission to protect and improve the health of all people and places in Pierce County.”

In a statement to The News Tribune Friday, Reed said she was committed to uphold the health department’s values of equity, integrity, respect and leadership.

“My door is always open for staff and community. I welcome feedback and value hearing as many perspectives as possible,” she said. “Since arriving in March 2024, I’ve made several organizational and operational changes to prepare the Department for exactly the kinds of disruptions in federal and state funding we are seeing now. I understand rapid change can bring concern and uneasiness. I am also confident many of the changes we’ve made have helped position the Department for long-term growth and sustainability. I remain committed to this work and doing it in partnership with our staff and the community.”

Representatives with the employees’ unions either declined or did not respond to requests for comment.

Prior to her hire at the health department, Reed was a doctoral candidate in public health at Tulane University. Her background includes work in public health, administration and compliance, according to TPCHD. She also served on the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute, the Loyola Center for Counseling and Education and the Oregon Public Health Association, as previously reported by The News Tribune.