1. Rochelle Paula Walensky is an American physician-scientist who served as the 19th director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2021 to 2023 and served as the administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in her capacity as the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2021 to 2023.
In 1991, Rochelle Walensky received a Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry and molecular biology from Washington University in St Louis.
Rochelle Walensky had been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School since 2001, first as an instructor and then she ascended the ranks to become professor in 2012.
Rochelle Walensky was a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School from 2012 to 2020, and served as chief of the division of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital from 2017 to 2020.
Rochelle Walensky conducted research that used the methods of decision science, Monte Carlo mathematical simulation and cost-effectiveness analyses to promote access to HIV care in the US and internationally.
Rochelle Walensky worked to improve HIV screening and care in South Africa, led health policy initiatives, and researched clinical trial design and evaluation in a variety of settings.
Rochelle Walensky is the recipient of an National Institutes of Health MERIT award Award.
Rochelle Walensky was chair of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council at the National Institutes of Health from 2014 to 2015 and served as a member of the US Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents since 2011.
Rochelle Walensky was serving on the board of directors of Mass General Brigham at the time of her departure for CDC.
Rochelle Walensky has been co-director of the Medical Practice Evaluation Center at Massachusetts General Hospital since 2011.
Rochelle Walensky was inducted into the National Academy of Medicine in 2021.
Since leaving CDC, Rochelle Walensky has been a lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School and a Senior Fellow at the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School.
Rochelle Walensky is currently serving on the board of trustees at the Doris Duke Foundation and The Carter Center.
Rochelle Walensky was among the first to sign the John Snow Memorandum in October 2020 as a critical response to the Great Barrington Declaration.
Rochelle Walensky conducted research on vaccine delivery and strategies to reach underserved communities.
Rochelle Walensky shelved the plan with the emergence of Omicron as cases began to tick up across the US, bringing morale lower than ever at the CDC.
Rochelle Walensky's critics told the Globe that she has confused the public on issues like quarantine guidance, school reopening, and mask-wearing.
Rochelle Walensky described her critics as "naysayers" who have helped sow the public confusion she has been accused of creating and pointing out that many Americans are still not following the most basic guidance on COVID-19 prevention.
Rochelle Walensky said that better communication is not always possible.
On October 22,2022, Dr Rochelle Walensky tested positive for COVID-19.
On May 5,2023, Dr Rochelle Walensky announced her resignation from her role at the CDC, effective June 30,2023.
Rochelle Walensky's decision came as the Biden administration was preparing to end the nation's national health emergency status around COVID, and she was one of multiple administration officials to leave after working on the pandemic.