Statement by CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky on the Appointment of Dr. Mandy Cohen as the 20th CDC Director

Today, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky issued the following statement in response to President Biden’s announcement that he intends to appoint Dr. Mandy Cohen to be the next CDC director.

“I congratulate Dr. Mandy Cohen on her appointment to serve as the 20^th CDC director.  Dr. Cohen is a respected public health leader who helped North Carolina successfully navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and has dedicated her career to improving health outcomes for all Americans.  Her unique experience and accomplished tenure in North Carolina – along with her other career contributions – make her perfectly suited to lead CDC as it moves forward by building on the lessons learned from COVID-19 to create an organization poised to meet public health challenges of the future.  I can think of no better hands in which to leave this agency during a critical time in its history. I wish Dr. Cohen and the dedicated people of CDC strength and the brightest successes in the next chapter.”

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.