President Trump on Friday named Georgia Public Health Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price made the announcement. Price, a former Republican congressman, hails from the same state as Fitzgerald.
“Having known Dr. Fitzgerald for many years, I know that she has a deep appreciation and understanding of medicine, public health, policy and leadership — all qualities that will prove vital as she leads the CDC in its work to protect America’s health 24/7,” he said in a statement. “We look forward to working with Dr. Fitzgerald to achieve President Trump’s goal of strengthening public health surveillance and ensuring global health security at home and abroad.
Fitzgerald, an OB/GYN and former Air Force major, has served as the director of Georgia’s disease prevention agency since 2011. She previously worked as a healthcare policy adviser for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is also from Georgia, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health website.
The CDC, based in Atlanta, is facing a budget cut of up to $1 billion under the administration’s proposed budget.
Dr. Tom Frieden was the former director of the CDC, a post he held since 2009, but Dr. Anne Schuchat has been working as acting director since Frieden resigned in January. Schuchat will return to the role of principal deputy director, the same title she held since 2015 under former President Barack Obama.
Kimberly Leonard contributed to this report.
