A story published this month by the Tacoma News Tribune details an independent investigation, commissioned by the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health, into the health department’s director of public health, Chantell Harmon Reed. Reed was accused of creating a toxic work environment by some health department employees.
These allegations were brought forward by three unions representing health department employees. An official investigation was launched by the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health into her conduct, eventually concluding that Reed had not violated any laws or department policies.
She was ordered to take executive coaching. However, the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health did not release the independent investigator’s report detailing their findings. Over the last year, Tacoma News Tribune reporter Becca Most has pursued these documents detailing the director’s harsh style that left some people in tears.
KNKX reporter Mitch Borden sat down with Most to talk about her recent story.
Transcription
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Mitch Borden: Becca, take us back to last year when the investigation into Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's public health director, Chantell Harmon Reed, was called for. What were the events that led up to the [Tacoma-Pierce County] Board of Health taking this step?
Becca Most: So, this all kind of came to a head in March 2025, last year, when three unions representing employees with the health department filed a complaint with the board of health, alleging that Reed was bullying staff and engaging in unethical behavior and a toxic work environment. And mind you, this happened when Reed had only served as director for about a year.
Borden: Initially, the investigation's findings were not released to the public, but over the last year, the Tacoma News Tribune has pursued getting these documents. What did they end up revealing about Reed's management style?
Most: Yeah, you know, for more than eight months, the health department refused to make the investigator's findings about Reed public. So only when our lawyer got involved, arguing that the investigator's findings were public record, did the department make it public. And, you know, the report itself was pretty damning.
The investigator found that, yes, Reed did routinely and overtly demean, belittle and was disrespectful to staff. She yelled at staff during meetings and reduced some of them to tears. And in two cases, she asked subordinates of hers to complete her graduate school homework, and one quit after she felt like she was retaliated against for refusing. Reed has denied the characterization of that claim.
Borden: Was there anything specific that jumped out to you in the hundreds of documents you reviewed for this story, any claims from employees, or explanations from Reed?
Most: Yeah, there was so much in the documents that I couldn't include in the story. There was case after case where staff told the investigator that Reed would show up late to meetings she called without reading the documents they were asked to prepare for her, only to have Reed speak over them, roll her eyes at them, demean them in front of their colleagues.
Many witnesses said they didn't speak up, even to correct misinformation, for fear of being a target of Reed themselves. And I think it begs the question, I mean, what does this say about the quality of our health department when the director is allowed to act this way?
Borden: Has Reed faced any consequences?
Most: Reed has not faced any disciplinary consequences that I'm aware of. However, the report says that her communications and leadership style demonstrates substantial room for improvement. You know, one line kind of stands out to me in this report that says there wasn't any bias found, but “by many accounts, the Director is harsh and rude to many employees, regardless of gender, race or skin color.”
Last July, the Board of Health did approve a $50,000 contract for her to attend executive coaching services to help with her leadership style.
Borden: What was the response from Reed and the members of the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health to your story?
Most: The board has told me they fully support Reed and believe that the executive coaching has worked. They've also told me they take all staff complaints seriously. Reed has told me, in a statement over email, that she recognizes her management style can sometimes create waves, and she says she's taken opportunities to reflect and improve the culture at the health department.
Borden: Have you heard from any health department employees, and do you know if things have improved for them?
Most: You know, I'm working on a follow up story about that that should be out in the next week, or two. So far, staff are telling me, no, things have not improved, and as I reported before, Reed has had all HR complaints routed directly to her. And without an HR director, right now, staff have told me they don't feel safe submitting complaints without retaliation. So more to come on that.
Borden: Is there any concern that Reed's harsh style may have affected the services provided by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department?
Most: Yeah, I think there's a lot of concern about that right now. There's been a lot of turnover as, I've heard, a direct result of her leadership in many key positions. And, obviously, this is happening at a time where a lot of people are relying on the health department more than ever to provide essential services like mental health and substance abuse help, disease management, prevention, homeless services and other community health initiatives.
Borden: Well, Becca, thank you so much for all your reporting and talking to me about it.
Most: Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
