04/16/2026
President Trump just appointed Dr. Erica Schwartz to be the Director of the CDC.
Dr. Schwartz is a Coast Guard Rear Admiral and former Deputy Surgeon General.
She is also both a doctor and lawyer.
Merit.
Meet, Dr. Erica Schwartz, MD, JD, MPH
🎓 Education & Training
• BS in Biomedical Engineering — Brown University
• MD — Brown University School of Medicine
• MPH — Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
• Residency — Occupational & Environmental Medicine
• JD — University of Maryland School of Law
🏅 Career & Leadership
• Former U.S. Deputy Surgeon General (2019–2021)
• Retired Rear Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service
• 20+ years of service across U.S. Navy, Public Health Service, and Coast Guard
• Served in senior leadership roles including Chief Medical Officer positions
• Key contributor in national public health initiatives and pandemic response
🏆 Achievements & Impact
• Board-certified in preventive medicine
• Led and supported large-scale public health operations
• Recognized for leadership in federal healthcare systems and crisis response
• Advocate for strengthening public health infrastructure