ICYMI: Trump Nominates Susan Monarez to Lead CDC

Earlier this month, President Trump nominated Dr. Susan Monarez to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Monarez, who holds a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been serving as the acting Director of the CDC following the departure of Dr. Mandy Cohen. As COSSA previously reported, President Trump initially nominated Dr. David Weldon for the role only to abruptly withdraw the nomination hours before his first Senate confirmation hearing. Previously, Monarez served as the deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) and has held roles at the White House of Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Department of Homeland Security. Monarez was also a Science and Technology Policy Fellow through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). This position requires Senate confirmation and, while Monarez is serving as acting director currently, concerns over her acceptance of recent executive actions, including a reduction in force (RIF), are likely to be raised during these hearings.

Stay tuned to COSSA’s continued coverage of the new Administration.