Dr. Jennifer Shuford, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's deputy director, has resigned, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
asserted
agency → resign → Tuesday
Shuford, who also served as chief medical officer, was hired for the role in April.
asserted
who → serve → April
Her last day will be Nov. 12, the CDC said.
asserted
CDC → say → ?
"I am leaving to spend more time with my family," Shuford said in a statement.
asserted
Shuford → leave → statement
"I am so thankful to President Trump and Secretary Kennedy for giving me the opportunity to help lead CDC.
asserted
I → give → CDC
In a separate statement, Dr. Erica Schwartz, the CDC's director, thanked Shuford for her time at the federal health agency.
asserted
Schwartz → thank → agency
"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.
asserted
Schwartz → navigate → months
In the interim, Satish Pillai will serve as acting CDC chief medical officer and deputy director.
asserted
Pillai → serve → officer
Shuford is board-certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases and received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, according to her bio on the CDC website.
uncertain
Shuford → certify → website
Before joining the CDC, Shuford served as Texas' chief state epidemiologist, later becoming commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services.
"
asserted
Shuford → join → Services
In this role, Dr. Shuford oversaw statewide public health programs, including infectious disease response, health promotion, epidemiology and emergency preparedness," her bio reads.
asserted
bio → oversee → response
Shuford was appointed in April with two others at the same time Schwartz was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the next CDC director.
asserted
Schwartz → appoint → director
"These Highly Respected Doctors of Medicine have the knowledge, experience, and TOP degrees to restore the GOLD STANDARD OF SCIENCE at the CDC," Trump wrote in a social media post at the time.
asserted
Trump → have → time
Shuford has been a vocal supporter of vaccination, saying areas with declining measles vaccination rates are at an increased risk of outbreaks.
asserted
areas → say → outbreaks
In February 2025, when a measles outbreak was spreading in western Texas, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said measles outbreaks were "not unusual," adding that they happen every year.
asserted
they → spread → Texas
But in an appearance on CNN the same month, Shuford described Texas' measles outbreak as "unusual" for the state.
asserted
Shuford → describe → state
"We haven't had this sort of an outbreak since the early 1990s and it's seriously impacting the population in that region," she said.
asserted
she → have → region
"This community has had some falling vaccine coverage rates in recent years and so we're trying to correct that, trying to get vaccines out there to protect our population and to try to get rid of this measles outbreak that's affecting them right now."
asserted
that → have → them
Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, while still in her role as chief state epidemiologist, Shuford appeared in a video posted on Facebook explaining how COVID-19 vaccines work, including efficacy and side effects.
asserted
vaccines → appear → efficacy
The Aporia
