President Donald Trump on Thursday announced his nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to serve as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Schwartz's academic background includes degrees in medicine, law, and public health. Her undergraduate and medical degrees were both awarded by Brown University. She has served in the United States Military and previously held the position of Deputy Surgeon General during Trump's first term.
In the same announcement, the president identified several other senior public health appointees. Those named were:
- Sean Slovenski - CDC Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer
- Dr. Jennifer Shuford - CDC Deputy Director and Chief Medical Officer
- Dr. Sara Brenner - Senior Counselor for Public Health to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
The president communicated the slate of nominations and appointments via a post on Truth Social.
While the announcement identifies key leadership candidates and appointees, the public information provided focuses on titles and professional credentials rather than policy detail. The elements disclosed in the announcement include educational credentials, prior federal public health service, and the names and titles of the other senior appointments.
The nominations and appointments outlined in the president's post cover both operational leadership at the CDC - including a chief operating officer role - and senior clinical and advisory positions. The structure of the appointments suggests an emphasis on assembling a team that spans management, clinical oversight, and public health counsel to the secretary.
Summary of named individuals and roles:
- Dr. Erica Schwartz - nominated as CDC director; holds degrees in medicine, law, and public health; Brown University alumnus for undergraduate and medical studies; veteran of the United States Military; former Deputy Surgeon General during the president's first term.
- Sean Slovenski - named CDC Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer.
- Dr. Jennifer Shuford - named CDC Deputy Director and Chief Medical Officer.
- Dr. Sara Brenner - named Senior Counselor for Public Health to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
The announcement offers a clear roster of senior personnel but does not provide additional detail on mandates, timelines, or specific policy priorities tied to the appointments. Observers and stakeholders will need to await further communications for operational plans or policy direction.