this is the default page template

President-elect Joe Biden has announced many of his nominees to lead federal agencies, including many relevant to public health. Here are some of the President-elect’s top choices to lead:

• Health and Human Services: California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) Appointing an Attorney General is unorthodox for this position, causing concern for some health policy experts who would rather have a leader with expertise in medicine during the pandemic. However, Becerra has political experience related to health policy, perhaps most notably his recent legal defense of the ACA.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Dr. Rochelle Walensky Dr. Walensky is an infectious disease expert currently serving at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
• Surgeon General: Dr. Vivek Murthy Dr. Murthy currently leads President-elect Biden’s COVID-19 advisory task force and previously served as Surgeon General under President Obama.
• COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair: Professor Marcella Nunez-Smith Professor Nunez-Smith is currently a scholar of internal medicine, public health and management at the Yale Medical School’s Equity Research and Innovation Center.
• Transportation Secretary: Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg This position could give this former South Bend mayor and 2020 presidential candidate the platform to roll out his $1 trillion infrastructure plan. The nomination could also give Buttigieg the experience needed to be more successful in a future presidential election.
• Climate Envoy: Mr. John Kerry Mr. Kerry is a previous U.S. Senator and Secretary of State; he has dedicated much of his career to tackling climate change.