Erica Schwartz Eyed to Lead CDC Amid Trump Administration's Public Health Reshuffle Sources indicate Erica Schwartz, a former Deputy U.S. Surgeon General under the Trump administration, is being considered to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The potential appointment comes as the Trump team reportedly plans to install several other individuals in senior roles at the agency. The CDC has experienced significant leadership transitions in recent years. Erica Schwartz, who previously served as Deputy U.S. Surgeon General during the initial term of President Donald Trump's White House tenure, is reportedly under consideration for the leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This information was shared by an individual with knowledge of the internal discussions surrounding the agency's future direction. In her prior capacity as Deputy Surgeon General, Schwartz played a notable role in the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her responsibilities also encompassed the oversight of national preparedness strategies and public health coordination initiatives. The Washington Post has also reported that the Trump administration is actively evaluating three other candidates for senior positions intended to support Schwartz should she be appointed to lead the CDC. Among these prospective appointees is Sean Slovenski, a former executive from Walmart, who is reportedly slated for a chief operating officer role within the agency. Additionally, Jennifer Shuford, a physician specializing in infectious diseases and currently serving as Texas’s health commissioner, is being considered for a senior medical position. Sara Brenner, a senior official at the Food and Drug Administration, is also expected to transition to a role at the CDC. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has undergone a series of significant leadership changes. These shifts began with the dismissal of Director Susan Monarez in August 2025, following her expressed reservations about proposed changes to vaccine policies by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Reuters previously reported that Jim O'Neill, the Deputy Secretary of HHS, succeeded Monarez. However, O'Neill's tenure was subsequently replaced in February by Jay Bhattacharya, who directs the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Schwartz’s professional background includes a medical degree from Brown University and a law degree from the University of Maryland. In January 2021, she departed from her government service after the incoming Biden administration informed her that she would not be selected to serve as acting U.S. Surgeon General, according to The Washington Post. The Wall Street Journal has detailed Schwartz's extensive career as a physician, noting that she dedicated over two decades to serving in uniform. Her military service commenced with the U.S. Navy, followed by her involvement in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and later the U.S. Coast Guard. While serving in the Coast Guard, she achieved the rank of rear admiral and held positions including the branch’s chief medical officer, among other significant responsibilities