Washington DC — Today, the New York Times reported that Mary K. Wakefield, former Deputy Secretary of HHS in the Obama administration, has been appointed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky to lead CDC’s shift to a stronger public health focus. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:
“I worked closely with Mary Wakefield every day when I served as senior counselor to the Secretary of HHS under President Obama. The CDC could not have selected a better person for this role. Mary is tough, compassionate, and effective. She is a consummate manager who cares equally about people and results. This is the right path for the CDC and the right person to lead the effort.”