Dr. Sundari Mase Appointed Interim Health Officer for Sonoma County

Dr. Sundari R. Mase was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to serve as the Interim Health Officer for the County of Sonoma effective March 10, 2020.  She joins the Department of Health Services at a critical time to guide the planning, response, and communication regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Dr. Mase received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and her medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She finished her residency in Internal Medicine at UCSF and, subsequently, obtained her Master of Public Health with an emphasis in Epidemiology at UCB. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Infectious Disease Department at Emory University and served as Associate Clinical Professor at UCSF.

Dr. Mase brings local, state, federal and international experience to Sonoma County.  Most recently, she has worked as an independent Tuberculosis (TB) consultant for all aspects of TB clinical, programmatic and research activities. In 2016, Dr. Mase joined World Health Organization (WHO) as the India Country TB Medical Officer. In this capacity, she contributed to the rapid implementation of the multi-pronged strategy of the Indian TB National Strategic Plan 2017-2025, supporting the government of India in every aspect of TB care and management. In 2007, Dr. Mase was recruited for the position of Domestic Medical Team Lead at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Division of TB Elimination (DTBE). In this role, from 2008 to 2016, she served as the lead for all domestic TB activities, providing technical assistance and medical consultation to U.S. State and Local TB control programs in the clinical and programmatic management of all aspects of TB prevention and control.  She oversaw guidelines, policies, clinical consultation, outbreak assistance, contact investigation, and preventative strategies such as infection control and latent TB infection management.

Locally, Dr. Mase has served as Deputy Health Officer/TB Controller for Santa Clara County where she oversaw 100 staff members and was responsible for grants, cooperative agreements, the administrative aspects of running a large TB program and all programmatic aspects of TB care and management. She also worked closely with other programs in Santa Clara such as HIV, Hepatitis, NCDs, and Emergency Preparedness.  Dr. Mase has also practiced as an Internist for five years at the Alliance Medical Group in the East Bay providing primary care for a panel of 1400 patients and serving as hospitalist for her group practice. She then launched her career in public health as a Medical Officer with the State of California TB Control Branch.

The County Health Officer is responsible for the protection and promotion of the public's health for all in Sonoma County. Dr. Mase will also oversee the work of the DHS Public Health Division located at 625 Fifth Street in downtown Santa Rosa as well as work with other departments, community partners and other counties to improve health on both a programmatic and a policy level.

Notable Achievements:

• Dr. Mase is a member of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease since 2008 and has previously served the ATS assembly as a member of the Program Committee (2010 to 2012) and Planning Committee (2013-2014). 
• Dr. Mase, as the WHO TB lead for India, started a clinical consultation system for DR TB patients in Delhi and a project to enhance digital technologies for managing adverse drug reactions and ensure adherence.  She served as a board member for community/civil society engagement, and was in charge of the LTBI management strategy for India and countries in the WHO South-East Asian Region. She mobilized 1.5 million USD of funding from USAID for India- specific TB activities.
• Dr. Mase served as the CDC chair for the joint ATS/IDSA/ERS/CDC national MDR TB guidelines and writing the guidelines for the use and safety monitoring of the new MDR TB drug bedaquiline, implementing a surveillance system for patients receiving bedaquiline and capturing data on safety and effectiveness of the drug in patients (both recently published).
• In 2001, Dr. Mase was recognized in America’s Top Doctors as one of the 500 best physicians in the San Francisco Bay Area.