CDC Chief Medical Officer Jennifer Shuford stepping down in November
Dr. Jennifer Shuford is leaving her role as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's chief medical officer and deputy director, saying she wants to spend more time with her family.
Her last day at the Atlanta-based agency will be Nov. 12, a CDC spokesperson confirmed to CBS News Atlanta.
"I am leaving to spend more time with my family," Shuford said in a statement. "I am so thankful to President Trump and Secretary Kennedy for giving me the opportunity to help lead CDC. It has been an amazing experience, and I will be forever grateful for it."
Dr. Satish K. Pillai will serve as acting chief medical officer and deputy director while the agency begins the process of identifying a permanent successor, according to background information provided by the CDC.
CDC Director Dr. Erica Schwartz thanked Shuford for her work.
"I am deeply grateful for Dr. Shuford's outstanding leadership and commitment to CDC and public health, especially as she has navigated an exceptionally demanding, high-profile, and constantly evolving environment over the past several months," Schwartz said in a statement.
Shuford's departure comes as the agency reviews its structure and operations following staffing losses.
A union-backed analysis estimated that the CDC had about 30% fewer working civil service employees in May 2026 than in March 2025. The figures are estimates, not an official CDC employee count. The analysis did not include contractors or members of the U.S. Public Health Service.
The Department of Health and Human Services previously told CBS News Atlanta that Schwartz and the agency's leadership were evaluating operations to ensure the CDC could fulfill its public health mission.
