Walensky announces departure from CDC

May 9, 2023
CDC director leaving.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announced her intent to depart the agency at the end of June.  

Walensky has led CDC through a transition to greater normalcy across the country, after two years of COVID-19 related closures and waves of dangerous, new virus variants. She also launched Moving Forward – a wide-ranging set of reforms designed to strengthen CDC communications and response operations. Walensky described this moment for the agency and the country in a letter to President Joe Biden. 

Walensky helped restore morale and a sense of normalcy to an agency that had been enduring significant public adversity related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Walensky is recognized internationally for her work to improve HIV screening and care in South Africa and nationally for motivating health policy and informing clinical trial design and evaluation in a variety of settings. 

CDC release 

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