TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Governor Katie Hobbs announced Tuesday that Dr. Theresa Cullen has withdrawn her nomination for the top job at the Arizona Department of Health Services after the Arizona Senate Nominations Committee last week voted along party lines to reject her appointment.
“While I am deeply concerned that Dr. Cullen has chosen not to proceed as the nominee for AZDHS director, I understand and respect her decision," Hobbs said in a press release. "The way some Republicans on the State Senate’s committee on director nominations was nothing short of harassment and those who participated in it should be ashamed of their behavior - we all should."
Cullen served as Pima County's Public Health Director beginning in June 2020, and served in that position for the height of the COVID pandemic policies.
Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher says Cullen will be returning to her previous role as the count's Public Health Director.
According to the county officials, Pima County's transmission rates and death rates related to the COVID-19 pandemic were the second lowest in the state under Cullen's leadership.
“Terry Cullen deeply cares about the health and wellbeing of every County resident. Every decision she has made since she’s been here, cussed or discussed, has been to protect lives and livelihoods,” Lesher said. “We hired her because she’s one of the finest public health physicians in the country who has had a distinguished career. She remains so, as does her career. Of course we want her to continue leading our public health agency.”
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Anne Simmons is the digital executive producer for KGUN 9. Anne got her start in television while still a student at the University of Arizona. Before joining KGUN, she managed multiple public access television stations in the Bay Area and has worked as a video producer in the non-profit sector. Share your story ideas and important issues with Anne by emailing anne.simmons@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
