Staff Bio
Jennifer A. Shuford, MD, MPH, is deputy director and chief medical officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Role at CDC
As CDC’s deputy director and chief medical officer, Dr. Shuford provides vital clinical, scientific, and public health leadership for the agency. In this role, she offers expert guidance on a broad portfolio of domestic and global health issues and advises the CDC Director on clinical and scientific priorities. Dr. Shuford helps lead strategic public health efforts across CDC’s Centers, Institute, and Offices, shaping initiatives that support the agency’s mission.
Previous experience
Before joining CDC, Dr. Shuford served as the commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). In this role, Dr. Shuford oversaw statewide public health programs, including infectious disease response, health promotion, epidemiologic surveillance, and emergency preparedness.
Prior to becoming commissioner, Dr. Shuford served as Texas' chief state epidemiologist after practicing as an infectious disease physician in Austin, Texas. Dr. Shuford joined DSHS in 2017 and contributed significantly to major public health responses, including measles and COVID-19.
Education
Dr. Shuford received her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. She completed an internal medicine residency at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, where she served as chief resident. Dr. Shuford completed an infectious diseases fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and earned a Master of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. She is board-certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases.