Confluence Health names new Chief Medical Officer
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month, 1 week AGO
Dr. Katie Peterson was named chief medical officer at Confluence Health last week.
COURTESY PHOTO/CONFLUENCE HEALTH
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | July 27, 2026 3:00 AM
WENATCHEE — Confluence Health has selected a new chief medical officer, according to an announcement from Confluence July 23 July 23.
Dr. Katie Peterson replaces former CMO Dr. James Murray, who was appointed to Confluence Health’s new chief physician executive position in March, according to an April 29 announcement from Confluence.
“Dr. Katie Peterson brings a thoughtful, steady leadership style along with a strong understanding of both clinical care and the broader work required to improve health across a system,” Confluence CEO Dr. Andrew Jones wrote in the announcement. “She has earned the respect of colleagues across our organization and has shown a clear commitment to collaboration, quality, and doing what is right for patients. I’m confident she will serve our physicians, care teams, and community exceptionally well as CMO and will help us continue moving forward together as an organization.”
Peterson is a 2012 graduate of the University of Washington School of Medicine, according to the National Provider Identifier Registry. Her specialty is obstetrics/gynecology. She joined Confluence Health about five years ago, according to a 2021 online post from Confluence.
As chief medical officer, Dr. Katie Peterson will help lead Confluence Health’s ongoing work to support quality, safety, and medical staff leadership, Confluence Health wrote in Thursday’s announcement.
Confluence Health is based in Wenatchee, and serves the Columbia Basin through facilities in Moses Lake, Ephrata and Royal City.
“Dr. Katie Peterson is well-suited for this important role because she understands the importance of caring for patients, supporting fellow physicians, and helping teams work well together across a complex organization,” Wenatchee Valley Medical Group President Dr. Jennifer Jorgensen wrote in the announcement. “With her years of experience in leadership and as a valued colleague, she brings credibility, insight, and a genuine commitment to improving care for our community. I’m excited to see her step into this role and help lead this next chapter for the region we serve.”
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Quincy National Night Out scales down
QUINCY — Quincy’s National Night Out was more compact this year, which worked out well, said QPD Sgt. Joe Westby, who’s in charge of event planning for the Quincy Police Department. “National Night Out is a big event, and the fact that we’re able to shrink it up is like a breath of fresh air,” Westby said. “If you're always doing the same thing, it's kind of nice to switch things up and see how it works.” National Night Out took place Thursday on the block of C Street next to the police station, a shift from previous years when it was held at Lauzier Park. The smaller space meant fewer emergency vehicles for children to explore, but it also meant less walking for attendees. Grant County Fire District 5 brought a fire truck, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office had a patrol boat. Renew, the Grant County behavioral health agency, had a booth and so did Quincy Partnership for Youth. Veterans Operation Creation sang the national anthem, and the Quincy Animal Shelter brought kittens that piled over each other making friends with passersby. As before, the QPD served grilled hot dogs.
Quincy Police retirements leave big shoes to fill
QUINCY — There are some big shoes to fill at the Quincy Police Department. “We’re losing 48 years of experience between them,” Quincy Police Chief Ryan Green said at the retirement party for Capt. Jorge Trujillo and Det. Damon Powell Thursday. Trujillo, who grew up in Sunnyside, has been with QPD for 19 years, he said, coming on as a patrol officer fresh out of the military. From there he served as a field training officer, a detective and finally captain. “I consider him my left-hand man,” Green said. “He runs the operations side of the house … He knows the agency very well, and he knows the community.” Trujillo has some projects around the house to tackle now that he’s retired, he said.
Big fun on a small scale
Wheat Land Communities’ Fair opens Thursday
RITZVILLE — The Wheat Land Communities’ Fair isn’t as big or as flashy as some of the county fairs around central Washington, but the folks who keep it going like it just the way it is. “It’s somewhere you can go and get an old-time traditional feeling, and you’re comfortable letting your kids roam the grounds and experience all that it has to offer,” said Board Member Lori Williams. “It’s more of a feeling than (one) specific thing,” The fair starts Thursday in Ritzville and runs through Sunday. Starting Friday, the 56th Ritzville Rodeo will take place alongside the fair at the rodeo grounds. This year the entertainment budget was expanded, Williams said, to be able to offer more fun that’s covered by the cost of admission. For the kids, there’s face painting, balloon art, Lego crafts, races, contests and games. Children can also ride on a little train towed around the fairgrounds behind a tractor.