Statement of Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley on Dr. Anne Schuchat’s Upcoming Retirement from the CDC
Research!America expresses our gratitude to Anne Schuchat, MD, for her 33 years of service at the Centers for Disease Control and salutes her extraordinary leadership during some of our country’s greatest public health emergencies. Dr. Schuchat recently announced her intention to retire at the end of June from her position as CDC principal deputy director, a role she has held since 2015.
Dr. Schuchat has earned a reputation as a master communicator. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she rendered daily research findings around the pandemic into a trustworthy, comprehensible narrative. In May this year, Dr. Schuchat received the Research!America Clear Voice Award in recognition of how she has helped change the way our nation thinks about this pandemic, via honest, reputable, everyday language.
Dr. Schuchat played key roles in other CDC emergency responses including the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza response, the 2003 SARS outbreak in Beijing, and the 2001 bioterrorist anthrax response.
In an increasingly interconnected world where diseases know no borders, a strong public health infrastructure is the nation’s first line of defense. We can all honor Dr. Schuchat’s legacy and support our nation’s well-being by becoming passionate advocates for increased resources for public health.