Dr. Jennifer Shuford, deputy director and chief medical officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will leave her position on November 12, the agency announced on Tuesday. Her resignation follows a five-month tenure in the dual role, which she was appointed to in April and began in June.
In a statement, Shuford cited personal reasons for her departure, stating she was leaving to spend more time with her family. She also expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the opportunity to lead at the CDC. Dr. Erica Schwartz, the CDC’s director, separately thanked Shuford for her service, calling her leadership “outstanding” amid a demanding environment.
Satish Pillai, who leads the agency’s Ebola response, will serve as acting deputy director and chief medical officer while the CDC searches for a permanent successor.
Shuford previously served as Texas’ chief state epidemiologist during the COVID-19 pandemic and as commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services from 2022 to 2025. In her Texas role, she oversaw the response to a 2024 measles outbreak in West Texas, which resulted in more than 750 cases and two child deaths.
The CDC has experienced significant leadership turnover in recent years. Dr. Susan Monarez, the agency’s former director, was fired by Secretary Kennedy in August 2025, just 29 days into her role. The Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as the permanent director in August 2025, ending a year-long vacancy. Other recent departures include Dr. Ralph Abraham, the principal deputy director, who stepped down in February 2025, and Dr. Allison Arwady, director of the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, who left in June 2025.