President Donald Trump has chosen Dr. Jennifer Shuford, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, to serve as deputy director and chief medical officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Trump announced Shuford's selection among a slate of CDC hires in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, including his pick for CDC director, Dr. Erica Schwartz.
"These Highly Respected Doctors of Medicine have the knowledge, experience, and TOP degrees to restore the GOLD STANDARD OF SCIENCE at the CDC," Trump said in his post.
Schwartz, who served as deputy surgeon general during Trump's first term, must have her nomination confirmed by the U.S. Senate before she can assume the role. As deputy, Shuford will not have to undergo a Senate confirmation process.
Shuford has led DSHS in Texas since 2022 after serving as the state's chief epidemiologist and helping to lead the COVID-19 response here. She trained as an infectious disease physician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and has a Master of Public Health from Harvard University.
In a news release, representatives for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), of which Shuford is a board member, praised her appointment.
"Dr. Shuford has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a steadfast commitment to evidence-based public health," said Dr. Joseph Kanter, CEO of ASTHO. "Her experience leading one of the nation's largest and most complex state health agencies — particularly her work as a frontline infectious disease physician and chief state epidemiologist — makes her uniquely qualified to help lead CDC."
As commissioner of DSHS, Shuford oversaw the state's response to the West Texas measles outbreak of 2025 and publicly spoke about the importance of vaccination to prevent the disease's spread. Schwartz, too, has been a vocal supporter of vaccines — in contrast to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has questioned the efficacy and safety of vaccines.
KUT News has reached out to HHS for additional comments on Shuford's selection and a timeline for her transition into the role. KUT News has also reached out to Shuford for comment.
The executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission will be responsible for finding a new DSHS leader once Shuford leaves her post.
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