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Leadership Team
Meet the Team Guiding Local Public Health Services
Shawn Morris, ND - Director
Dr. Shawn Morris is dedicated to improving public health through a holistic and collaborative approach. Originally from Whidbey, he studied geography at the University of Washington before earning a doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University in 2017, with experience in global and community health. After graduating, he provided primary care for underserved families in Snohomish County. With a background in state and local government, he brings experience in program management, policy development, health services, and communicable disease.
Dr. Morris supports Island County teams working to improve community and environmental health. He works closely with colleagues, staff, and partners to develop practical, locally-connected solutions to public health challenges. To deepen this work, he is currently completing a master's of public health (MPH) focused on epidemiology, leadership, and health policy.
Taylor Lawson - Deputy Director
Taylor Lawson is a Whidbey local and the current Deputy Director for Island County Public Health. Taylor attended Western Washington University, where she graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in human services in 2016. After graduation, Taylor served as an AmeriCorps volunteer with Communities in Schools before moving to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue a master’s in public health at Emory University. Her area of study was behavioral science and health education, with a concentration on maternal and child health.
Taylor’s personal passions include running, rock hounding, fishing, playing the mandolin, and exploring new trails with her pup, Mac. Taylor is grateful for the opportunity to give back to her community and to support efforts to foster community-centered health promotion, access, and equity across Island County.
Dr. Howard Leibrand - Health Officer 
Dr. Howard Leibrand is an addiction medicine doctor in Mount Vernon, Washington, and the Skagit County Health Officer. He retired from emergency medicine practice after three years at Whidbey General Hospital and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island emergency departments in the early 1990s and 28 years at Skagit Valley Hospital emergency department. He graduated from the George Washington University School of Medicine and completed a Family Practice Residency with the Air Force. He is doubly board-certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine. He has been a county health officer for 36 years.
The health officer serves as a consultant and technical guide for Island County Public Health. Dr. Leibrand plays a crucial role in managing and preventing the spread of communicable diseases, safeguarding the community from environmental risks, and collaborating with Island County Public Health leadership to foster health. Additionally, he supervises the formulation of policies, procedures, and hearings.