Report: Former NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen to become CDC director

Former North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen is about to be promoted.

Cohen was the face of North Carolina’s response to the pandemic -- she was a household fixture and the creator of the “wash, wear, and wait” slogan.

Now, The Washington Post is reporting that President Joe Biden is tapping Dr. Cohen to be the next CDC director. She would replace Rochelle Walensky, who is stepping down from the position at the end of the month.

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Dr. Cohen has been working in the private sector in the Washington, D.C. area after she left her position as health secretary last January. Cohen will enter the office at a time the CDC is under close scrutiny from the American public.

The White House hasn’t responded to a request for comment.

Cohen was North Carolina’s most visible presence during the pandemic. At one point, she appeared on television every day. She presided over major decisions with business and school reopenings, restrictions and the vaccine rollout.

Cohen will not have to be confirmed by the Senate for this position.

Gov. Roy Cooper shared the following statement with Channel 9 in response to the news: “Mandy Cohen used a steady hand to help my administration lead North Carolina through the pandemic to be among the states with the lowest deaths and job losses per capita. She is a brilliant, talented and battle tested leader who would be a fantastic CDC Director.”

Before serving North Carolina, Dr. Cohen worked for the Obama administration as a senior official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

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