CDC deputy director appointed by President Trump to resign after six months amid Trump-Kennedy shakeup
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Dr. Jennifer Shuford, appointed by President Trump as CDC deputy director and chief medical officer in April, will leave the position on 12 November, saying she is departing for family reasons as the agency continues to be reshaped under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that Dr. Jennifer Shuford will step down as deputy director and chief medical officer on 12 November, just six months after her appointment. Shuford, who was named to the role by President Trump in April as part of a four-person senior leadership team, said she is leaving to spend more time with her family.
"I am leaving to spend more time with my family," Shuford said in a statement sent via email by CDC director Dr. Erica Schwartz. "I am so thankful to President Trump and Secretary Kennedy for giving me the opportunity to help lead CDC. It has been an amazing experience, and I will be forever grateful for it."
The leadership changes come after the departure of former CDC director Susan Monarez earlier this year and the ongoing restructuring under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a process that has kept the agency in a state of constant churn. Dr. Schwartz praised Shuford’s service, adding, "I am deeply grateful for Dr. Shuford’s outstanding leadership and commitment to CDC and public health, especially as she has navigated an exceptionally demanding, high-profile, and constantly evolving environment over the past several months."
Dr. Satish Pillai will assume the duties of acting deputy director and chief medical officer while a permanent replacement is sought.