New Appointees Share CDC Priorities

Acting CDC Director Rich Besser, MD, recently announced the appointment of three interim deputy directors and a new acting chief of staff to help him lead CDC during this time of transition. Today, we hear from the new appointees.

Anne Schuchat, MD
Interim Deputy Director for Science and Program

"I am very excited and honored to get to serve in this way," says Anne Schuchat, MD, rear admiral and assistant surgeon general, USPHS, of her new position as interim deputy director for science and program. "I think of CDC as a family, and it's been a privilege to have worked here for more than 20 years. I really look forward to helping the agency with science and program during these exciting times."

Schuchat will provide leadership on high impact and high vulnerability science and program issues affecting the agency. She will take the lead in assuring that strong science and programmatic approaches are effectively integrated into planning across the agency. She will be responsible for coordinating activities with the Office of the Chief Science Officer and the Office of Public Health Practice and the National Centers. She will also serving as acting CDC director when Besser is unavailable.

In Schuchat's new role, her top priorities are assuring that strong science and program planning are integrated into CDC's contributions to the economic stimulus plan, and making sure that CDC is prepared for and effective in responding to any urgent threats that occur during this period. "Continuing our active relationships with partners in the public health mission and maintaining trust and credibility in our agency are also essential."

Schuchat is the director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases and has spent over 20 years at CDC working in immunization, respiratory and other infectious diseases, as well as joining colleagues across the agency in several emergency response activities. She has collaborated internationally on public health and research efforts in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and with public health and academic institutions across the United States. Her expertise includes surveillance, prevention and applied research.

Schuchat graduated with highest honors from Swarthmore College and with honors from Dartmouth Medical School. She served as resident and chief resident in internal medicine at New York University′s Manhattan VA Hospital before beginning her public health career at CDC as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer in 1988. In 2006, she was promoted to an assistant surgeon general in the United States Public Health Service and, in 2008, she was elected to the Institute of Medicine.

Bill Nichols, MPA
Interim Deputy Director for Management and Budget

Bill Nichols, MPA, will be the agency's first-line liaison to senior management and budget officials at HHS and management offices of other federal agencies with whom CDC collaborates. In addition to oversight for the Business Services Offices and offices within the Office of the Chief Operating Officer, he will be responsible for managing the budgeting and scheduling functions of the Office of the Director.

Nichols says the economic stimulus package is potentially the largest one-time influx of funds the agency has ever seen. We need to determine how to use the funds effectively and efficiently.

That's just one of the priorities Nichols sees. "We will be developing a strict accountability process. And beyond the stimulus, there are challenges that relate to business services and business in general, from our management structure to decision making. This change in leadership provides an opportunity to reexamine how we manage the agency."

It's yet another challenge, a welcome one, for Nichols, who also serves as the acting chief operating officer (COO), which was announced on January 28. In this capacity, he will continue to carry out the roles, responsibilities and authorities of the COO. In this role, Nichols serves as the senior management official in the agency, responsible for improving business services, practices and systems through effective and efficient strategic thinking, critical analysis, resource and performance management, change leadership, business policy development, communications and customer relations management.

Nichols served as director of the Financial Management Office from October 2006 to November 2008. Before that, he served as the director of the Procurement and Grants Office (PGO).

He has worked at CDC for 25 years and has served as a senior management official within the National Immunization Program and the National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention. Nichols spent the first seven years of his CDC career assigned to state and local health departments implementing immunization and sexually transmitted disease programs.

Nichols has been instrumental in the implementation of a variety of important CDC programs during his career with the agency. For example, he held a central role in implementation of the Vaccines for Children program, as well as implementation of the Advancing HIV Prevention initiative. In addition, he played a lead role in orchestrating the myriad Congressional visits to CDC following the World Trade Center catastrophe and the anthrax incidents of 2001.

Nichols has a bachelor of arts degree from Wake Forest University and a master of public administration degree from Georgia State University.

Joe Henderson, MPA
Acting Chief of Staff

Something keeps pulling newly appointed Acting Chief of Staff Joe Henderson, MPA, back to CDC. Henderson is returning to federal service after a short stint with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, supporting global health delivery as a senior program officer for leadership and accountability. Henderson's appointment is effective February 15.

He will be tasked to manage Besser's day-to-day activities as well as the day-to-day operations of the Office of the Director. He will help resolve issues that cross organizational lines, determine policy and program objectives, coordinate decision-making processes and assist in maintaining a focus on the highest priority initiatives.

"This detail will be crucial to the smooth and efficient functioning of the Office of the Director," said Besser.

Formerly, Henderson served as the CDC senior management official in New York State, responsible for providing strategic oversight of all CDC interests there. In his 16 years at CDC, he served in various capacities, to include the following:

• Acting CDC chief operating officer,
• Associate director of terrorism preparedness and response,
• Deputy director of the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Program,
• New York State immunization program director,
• Southeast regional consultant for the National Immunization Program, and
• Team leader for the National Immunization Registry Initiative.

Henderson retains an academic appointment at the Harvard University School of Public Health to support public health leadership development. He has a masters degree from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor of science degree from Wilmington College.

More to Come

"This is a work in progress, so expect more details over the coming days and weeks," says Besser. "The permanent CDC director/ATSDR administrator will determine the final leadership team and structure."