Dr. David Patton
Dr. W. David Patton is Executive Director of the Utah Department of Health with responsibility for protecting the public health of Utah's citizens and promoting healthy behaviors. As Director he is also responsible for Utah's wide variety of public health programs and Utah's Medicaid program.
Dave was born in Charlestown, West Virginia and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Utah with two bachelor degrees, one in economics and another in political science. He received a master of public administration (MPA) degree from Brigham Young University and a PhD from the University of Utah in political science with an emphasis in public administration. While earning his degrees, Dave worked for Motorola Communications, then as the Research Director of the Utah Public Employees Association. He later became the Chief Labor Negotiator and a Senior Management Analyst for Salt Lake City. After receiving his doctorate, Dr. Patton took a faculty position at Boise State University and also served as the Director of the Center for Public Policy and Administration. In 2002 he moved his family back to Utah to be the Director of the Center for Public Policy and Administration at the University of Utah and take an appointment as Research Professor in the MPA program.
Following the election of Governor Jon Huntsman Jr., Dr. Patton served as a special advisor to Governor-elect Jon Huntsman Jr.'s Gubernatorial Transition Team and the first Executive Director of the Utah Policy Partnership - the Governor's "Kitchen Cabinet." In 2009, he was appointed Deputy Director of Operations in the Department of Health with oversight over agency operations including planning and organization, performance management and legislative relations.
Dave and his wife, Wendy, have seven children and fourteen grandchildren. They enjoy reading, hiking in Utah's mountains, golfing, and road trips to visit their family.