‘We have a lot of work to do’: new CDC head Dr. Mandy Cohen arrives

ATLANTA – Dr. Mandy Cohen’s first full day on the job Tuesday as the new leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention started with her warmly greeting staff entering the Atlanta headquarters.

Her presence alone was significant. She takes the helm from Dr. Rochelle Walenksy, who led the agency through some of the most difficult days of the pandemic. Cohen’s timing as the new head of the federal agency ushers in a new era of public health at the CDC – one that is no longer dominated by COVID-19.

“I am proud to be here at the CDC and I am thrilled to get started,” said Cohen. “We are going to really make sure people understand the CDC is the trusted partner and we want to be the active partner in people’s lives to protect their health so we have a lot of work to do but I have to learn from the team first before I can dive in.”

Cohen said her immediate priority is to ensure the federal agency is ready with tests, medicines and vaccines for the busy cold and flu season this fall and winter when respiratory illnesses circulate more widely. But she said there are many other public health challenges to address, including mental health challenges.

Cohen, an internal medicine physician, led the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services from January 2017 through January 2022. She also brings experience in the federal government, working as chief of staff and later as chief operating officer for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. She also previously worked as deputy director of women’s health services in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The CDC, charged with protecting Americans from public health threats, has a $12 billion budget and more than 12,000 employees, including about 9,000 based in Atlanta.

Cohen has a reputation for being a strong manager and communicator and for being able to listen to and talk with people on both sides of the political aisle. She gained respect from Republicans such as N.C. state Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Eden, who said her leadership at the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services helped the state navigate turbulent times. He said she made herself available to legislators to answer questions and keep them informed about issues facing the department.

Former director of the CDC Dr. Tom Frieden expressed confidence Cohen can leverage her experience and connections to rebuild trust in public health. Now president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, Frieden said Cohen’s “practical public health experience will be a key asset.”

“To succeed, it will be essential to embed many more CDC staff at the local and state levels. There they can strengthen public health and improve alignment among federal, state, and local organizations, ” Frieden said in an email. “I hope those in the media and Congress will work with Dr. Cohen and with doctors, nurses, public health experts and others to get past partisan politics and focus on protecting and improving health.”

Dr. Ravi I. Thadhani, Executive VP for Health Affairs at Emory also expressed enthusiasm about Cohen’s appointment, saying her background and skills will serve her well for the job, which has become an increasingly politicized role at the CDC.

“She is a person who understands healthcare and a person who understands public health,” said Thadhani, who oversees all components of Emory’s academic medical center, including the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Public Health, and Emory Healthcare. “She comes in at a time when her skills are critical.”

Cohen faced opposition from some Republican politicians – even before she was officially appointed by Biden.

More than two dozen GOP lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, signed a letter to President Biden expressing opposition to Cohen’s appointment, saying she was unfit for the position.

Walensky, whose last day on the job was June 30, set a goal to raise morale, in large part by restoring the primacy of science and setting politics to the side; a problem that festered under former President Donald Trump’s administration.–

Thadhani praised Walenksy for starting a center for forecasting and outbreak analytics, and for taking steps to modernize data and improve the public health workforce as part of her overhaul of the agency to help it respond more quickly to emergencies. Thadhani said Cohen will carry the baton.

“It’s a new chapter in public health,” said CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry at the CDC headquarters Tuesday. “As we start to move out of the COVID pandemic, there are so many other public health issues at the forefront – cancer, (drug) overdose, mental health, Hepatitis C, maternal mortality. Now we can focus on those in addition to making sure we’re prepared for the next emergency.”