Erica Schwartz: Who is the new CDC director?

NEW YORK - On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, filling a leadership role that has remained unsettled as the nation's leading public health agency faces staffing losses, leadership turnover and political scrutiny.

Schwartz was confirmed in a 51-44 vote and becomes the 22nd leader of the Atlanta-based CDC, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats, and the agency's first confirmed director in nearly a year. 

Who is Erica Schwartz?

The 54-year-old physician, attorney and retired rear admiral previously served as deputy surgeon general and as chief medical officer for the U.S. Coast Guard.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Schwartz earned bachelor's and medical degrees from Brown University, a Master of Public Health from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland. She served as the Coast Guard's chief of preventive medicine and chief of health services before becoming chief medical officer in 2015.

Schwartz was appointed deputy surgeon general in 2019 and served as the Department of Health and Human Services' transition lead during the presidential transition from the first Trump administration to the Biden administration. She resigned in early 2021 after 27 years of uniformed service.

Schwartz is the third nominee put forward by the Trump administration for the CDC's top post in the past 18 months. Earlier nominee Dr. David Weldon, a former Florida congressman, never received a confirmation hearing after it was canceled shortly before it was scheduled to begin. Following Weldon's withdrawal, acting CDC Director Susan Monarez was confirmed by the Senate but removed from the position less than a month later after administration officials said she was not sufficiently aligned with the president's priorities.

Confirmation follows months of uncertainty at CDC

The backstory:

Her confirmation follows months of uncertainty surrounding the position. During a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing last month, lawmakers questioned whether Schwartz would be willing to challenge directives from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. if they conflicted with established scientific evidence or public health best practices.

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Committee Chairman Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., later said conversations with Schwartz and colleagues familiar with her work reassured him that she would make decisions grounded in science and independent judgment, helping clear the way for her confirmation.

Schwartz assumes leadership of the CDC during a period of significant organizational change. Since President Donald Trump returned to office last year, the CDC has lost more than 3,000 employees through layoffs and resignations, reducing its workforce by more than one-quarter. The agency has also experienced declining morale and frequent leadership changes, with a series of acting directors and political appointees overseeing operations.