President Biden Announces Intent to Appoint Dr. Mandy Cohen as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Today, President Biden announced his intent to appoint Dr. Mandy Cohen as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Statement from President Biden:

Dr. Cohen is one of the nation’s top physicians and health leaders with experience leading large and complex organizations, and a proven track-record protecting Americans’ health and safety.

As Secretary of North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Cohen developed innovative and nationally recognized programs that improved the health and lives of families across the state. Her leadership through the COVID-19 crisis drew bipartisan praise, as did her successful transformation of North Carolina’s Medicaid program and pivotal role in the bipartisan passage of Medicaid expansion. Before serving in North Carolina, Dr. Cohen held senior roles at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services where she helped implement Affordable Care Act programs, including expanding insurance coverage and protections. 

Dr. Cohen has been recognized by leaders from both parties for her ability find common ground and put complex policy into action. I look forward to working with Dr. Cohen as she leads our nation’s finest scientists and public health experts with integrity and transparency.

Dr. Mandy Cohen, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Mandy Krauthamer Cohen is an internal medicine physician and led the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, where she was lauded for her leadership during the COVID crisis, transformation of the North Carolina Medicaid program, the role she played in North Carolina’s Medicaid expansion, and her focus on “whole person health” with the launch of the country’s first statewide coordination platform, NCCARE360. 
 
Dr. Cohen is currently the Executive Vice President at Aledade and CEO of Aledade Care Solution, which helps independent primary care practices, health centers, and clinics deliver better care to their patients and thrive in value-based care.
 
Dr. Cohen previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and served as Acting-Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO).  Dr. Cohen was involved in many aspects of the Affordable Care Act policy development and implementation, including the expansion of coverage, insurance protections, and new provider payment models. 
 
A graduate of Cornell University, Dr. Cohen received her medical degree from Yale School of Medicine and a Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. She trained in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Secretary Cohen is married to Sam Cohen, a health care regulatory attorney and they have two daughters.
 

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