Biden names Rochelle Walensky as CDC director

The chief of Infectious Disease at Massachusetts General Hospital would take the reins at a pivotal moment for the CDC.

President-elect Joe R. Biden has named Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, as his nominee to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Walensky is currently the chief of the Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. She’s a leading expert on virus testing and treatment and has been on the front lines of COVID-19 pandemic response in Massachusetts, according to the announcement.