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Bruce Anderson, Ph.D., served the State of Hawai`i for more than 40 years, first as the State Environmental Epidemiologist, then as Deputy Director for Environmental Health, and as Director of Health, twice, from 1987-2002 and from 2018-2020 under Governor Cayetano and Governor Ige. As Director of Health, he managed an annual operating budget of over $1 billion and over 3,000 dedicated healthcare professionals.

 

Dr. Anderson also served as President and Chief Executive Officer (PCEO) of Hawai`i Health Systems Corporation (HHSC), the Public Health Hospital system in Hawaii, comprised of thirteen public health hospitals on all the major islands in Hawaii.  As a side note for those who love oysters, shrimp and other seafood, he was also President of Oceanic Institute, where he led a team of over 70 scientists, researchers and support staff in developing and transferring new aquaculture technologies.

 

Bruce was born and raised in Hawai`i. He went to Punahou School, the same school as Barack Obama, and graduated from Colorado College with a degree in Physics.  He earned a Master’s in Public Health from Yale University and a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Hawai`i in 1981.

 

Shortly after his retirement, Dr. Anderson and his wife, Debbie, moved from Hawaii to Northern Virginia where they have a horse farm.  When he is not mucking out horse stalls and taking care of horses, you will find Bruce and Debbie hiking along the Blue Ridge Mountains with their dogs, canoeing down the Shenandoah River, or fishing, somewhere.  They hope their five children will be as lucky as they were in finding careers so rewarding and enjoyable.

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WORK EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

 

Director of Health, State of Hawaii January 1999 to December 2002 and again from June 2018 to September 2020

• The Director of Health is the chief health and environmental official in Hawai‘i and oversees more than 100 programs and over 2,700 dedicated staff whose mission it is to protect and improve the health and environment for all people in Hawai‘i.

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Administrator, Division of Aquatic Resources, Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawaii 

October 2015 to May 2018

• The Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) is responsible for the management of Hawaii’s aquatic resources and ecosystems through programs to protect and restore the aquatic environment, endangered species, combat the introduction of invasive species, effectively manage fisheries; and carry out education and outreach to the public.

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President and CEO, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, State of Hawaii April 2011 to July 2013

• Responsible for the management of a state-wide system of 12 hospitals, an annual operating budget of over $600 million and over 4,300 employees.

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Director of Health and Science Programs, Hawaii Pacific University March 2009 to April 2011

• Expanded health education and research opportunities at both the graduate and undergraduate level.

• Developed a new Health Science degree with a focus on epidemiology, health policy, research methods, and public health practice. Today, it is the first and only undergraduate public health degree of its kind in the Pacific area.

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President, Oceanic Institute August 2004 to March 2009

• Led a team of over 70 top scientists, researchers and support staff in developing and transferring new technologies to the private sector to produce healthy, disease-resistant shrimp, fish and other seafood in an environmentally sustainable manner.

 

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