How Dr. Mandy Cohen’s possible CDC appointment could benefit North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina’s former Health Secretary could be going from the City of Oaks to the Capitol of the United States. There are reports that President Joe Biden has tapped Dr. Mandy Cohen as his top pick for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Cohen became the early face of the pandemic in North Carolina offering daily briefings as residents tried to wrap their heads around the coronavirus and the ways to stay safe.

Her work garnered national recognition and now there’s the real possibility that Cohen could soon lead the CDC, according to the Washington Post.

“That’s clearly a feather in our cap, both for how well experienced the people we picked for the executive branch in the state and for the state in general because she certainly knows the diverse population, rural and urban, ethnicity balance in North Carolina. That is to our advantage,” said UNC Health Infectious Disease Medical Director Dr. David Weber.

Cohen has more than 15 years of experience and holds degrees from three Ivy League schools, including Harvard University.

Cohen spent five years serving as NCDHHS’ Secretary overseeing a department of 17,000 employees and managing a multi-billion dollar budget.

“Dr. Mandy Cohen is a talented leader and passionate public servant. If selected, her deep experience in government and implementing public health interventions on the ground in all communities will contribute much to the CDC,” said NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley, who succeeded her at NCDHHS.

She left the job last year to work in the private sector after expressing a strong connection to our state.

Cohen previously said, “I don’t know what my next steps will hold. All I will say is that I and my family have fallen in love with North Carolina.”

There’s a belief that the Triangle’s thriving medical institutions and the robust research taking place at Research Triangle Park will play a role.

“I think she will be broadly based and reach out across the United States, but of course, it’s natural for people to call on the people they’ve worked with closely and know the best,” said Weber. “I would not be surprised if she was frequently on the phone with many of our experts in the state.”

ABC11 emailed Cohen for comment on the possible new role but has not heard back.