Dr. Erica Schwartz was confirmed as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by the U.S. Senate last week. She is the first Black woman to lead the national public health agency, which had gone almost a year without a permanent leader. 

Her appointment follows a nearly three-decade career in federal service, including roles in the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and as Deputy Surgeon General during President Donald Trump’s first term. She takes over the agency during a period of significant change, amid ongoing debates over vaccine policy, reproductive health, and a resurgence of measles cases across the United States.

Related post: Nigerian-Born PhD Student Wins $30K Google Contest With AI Tool for Early Disease Detection

Who is Dr. Erica Schwartz? 

Schwartz was born into a military family. Her father was a career Navy master chief petty officer stationed in San Diego. She pursued biomedical engineering at Brown University, earning her Bachelor of Science in 1994 and her Doctor of Medicine in 1998. 

She later earned a Master of Public Health, with a dual concentration in health services administration and occupational and environmental medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 2000. She completed a residency in occupational and environmental medicine there in 2001. She also holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland and is admitted to the District of Columbia Bar.

Her career spans more than two decades in federal service. She worked in the U.S. Navy from 1997 to 2005 before transitioning to the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, where she remained until 2021. Schwartz was promoted to rear admiral in 2015. She served as the Coast Guard’s Chief Medical Officer from 2015 to 2019. She then served as Deputy Surgeon General of the U.S. from 2019 to 2021. After 24 years of uniformed service, she retired in 2021.

Schwartz moved to the private sector in 2021, becoming President of Insurance Solutions at UnitedHealthcare. She has also served on the boards of Avenna Healthcare and Butterfly Network. 

Related post: How Gene Therapy Could End Sickle Cell Disease

Schwartz’s Priorities at the CDC

Schwartz’s appointment comes amid ongoing controversy at the CDC. The previous director of the CDC, Susan Monarez, served in the position for just 29 days. She was dismissed by the White House after she refused to resign from her post. Monarez reportedly refused to endorse Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s changes to U.S. vaccine policy, the New York Times shared. 

During Schwartz’s confirmation hearing, she was questioned by the Senate about what her priorities will be as the incoming director. “My sacred responsibility is to provide the American people with public health guidance that is clear, honest and evidence-based,” Schwartz said. She also added that she will “never betray the science.”

Schwartz was also questioned about abortion surveillance by Senator Josh Hawley. Hawley is a lawmaker pushing to ban the abortion pill, mifepristone, nationwide. He specifically asked whether she would remain committed to collecting detailed information on abortions. “Abortion surveillance is absolutely a critical component of what the CDC is currently doing,” Schwartz replied. “I also want to make sure that certain states are not conflating emergency services and hiding abortions in that emergency services case definition.” 

Related post: Louisiana Man Functionally Cured Of Sickle Cell Disease After Gene Therapy

As the first Black woman to lead the CDC, taking over after a period of leadership turmoil, Schwartz will certainly be under a microscope. “Now, Dr. Schwartz needs to prove that her leadership will serve science and not the whims of politicians,” the National Public Health Coalition said in a statement reported by AP News. “CDC needs a Director who will protect public health workers, defend evidence-based guidance, and refuse any directive that would undermine public safety.”

Join the UrbanGeekz community for the latest in tech, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, and opportunities. Subscribe here.

The post Erica Schwartz Becomes First Black Woman to Lead the CDC appeared first on UrbanGeekz.