Susan Monarez, Ph.D., has been sworn in as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The ceremony took place on July 31, 2025, marking Monarez as the first Senate-confirmed director in CDC history.
Monarez brings extensive experience in disaster preparedness, biosecurity, and health innovation to her new role. As CDC Director, she is expected to lead the agency’s efforts to prevent disease and respond to health threats both domestically and internationally. This leadership aligns with President Trump and Secretary Kennedy’s broader “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
“Dr. Monarez is a public health expert with unimpeachable scientific credentials,” said Secretary Kennedy. “I have full confidence in her ability to restore the CDC’s role as the most trusted authority in public health and to strengthen our nation’s readiness to confront infectious diseases and biosecurity threats.”
“It is a great honor to join Secretary Kennedy and his HHS leadership team,” said Director Monarez. ”I consider it a privilege to work alongside the public servants at CDC. Together we will strengthen and modernize the nation’s public health preparedness and response through science and innovation. We will work every day at CDC to Make America Healthy Again.”
Before this appointment, Monarez served as Acting Director of CDC and Deputy Director for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), where she led changes in data collection systems as well as disease detection technologies within HHS divisions. Her career also includes leadership roles at agencies such as the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Department of Homeland Security, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and National Security Council.
Director Monarez holds a doctorate in microbiology and immunology from University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she researched new technologies for preventing, diagnosing, and treating infectious diseases. She completed postdoctoral research at Stanford University School of Medicine.
The CDC plays a key role in identifying diseases quickly, providing timely information during outbreaks or illnesses—whether these originate domestically or abroad—and supporting local initiatives that protect community health across the country.
