The Desert Healthcare District is delaying its search for a new chief executive, giving directors elected in November a chance to help choose the person who will lead one of the Coachella Valley's most important public health organizations.
The district originally planned to select a new CEO in September. Applications will now remain open through October 25, with the final hiring decision expected after newly elected directors take office.
The next CEO will oversee the district's grants and help manage a roughly $650 million voter-approved revenue stream, making the position a significant one for the Coachella Valley. The former CEO's salary was $280,000.
The decision to delay the hiring process sparked a discussion on the Roggin Report about transparency, accountability and whether the incoming board should have a say in selecting the district's next leader.
Stephanie Greene, founder and CEO of FG Creative, said the district needs to focus on running the organization rather than allowing the public to micromanage personnel decisions.
“There should be accountability. There should be transparency,” Green said. “But we don't need to be micromanaging the person in HR department.”
Brad Ward, owner of Brad Ward Coaching, took a different view, pointing to the fact that the district operates with public money.
“They are using public dollars,” Ward said. “And public dollars mean that your currency that you deal in is public trust.”
Ward said that if public trust has been damaged, the district needs to address that issue as well.
The panel also discussed whether outgoing directors should be able to select a CEO before voters choose the next board. Ward said the timing would not concern him unless there were an undisclosed agenda behind the decision, while Greene agreed that the new board should have input.
For residents across Palm Springs, Palm Desert and the broader Coachella Valley, the CEO search matters because the district controls significant public resources and funds health-related programs throughout the community.
The question now is whether waiting for the new board will produce a stronger leadership decision—or make the district's search more difficult.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
August 17, 2026
