Ralph Abraham, M.D. is the new Principal Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to an announcement.
He was sworn in by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on December 15, and is set to begin his term on January 5, 2026. Both Secretary Kennedy and CDC Director Jim O’Neill expressed excitement over the Louisiana Surgeon General’s appointment and faith that he will “help realign the agency with its mission as America's frontline defender against infectious disease.”
Dr. Abraham’s bio, according to the CDC:
“Dr. Abraham graduated from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, practicing for 10 years before earning his M.D. from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine. He then practiced family medicine. From 2015 to 2021, Dr. Abraham represented Louisiana's fifth congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served on the House Armed Services Committee, Committee on Agriculture, and Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
As Surgeon General of Louisiana, Dr. Abraham was charged with crafting health policy, advocating for disease prevention, and coordinating with state agencies to improve health outcomes in Louisiana. He has also volunteered for humanitarian missions in Afghanistan, Haiti, Africa, and the Amazon rainforest.”
