Speakers: CDC Leadership

Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH

Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky is the Director for CDC and administrator of ATSDR

Director,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Administrator,
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

Rochelle P. Walensky is the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. She is an influential scholar whose pioneering research has helped advance the national and global response to HIV/AIDS. Dr. Walensky is also a well-respected expert on the value of testing and treatment of deadly viruses.

Dr. Walensky served as Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital from 2017-2020 and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School from 2012-2020. She served on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic and conducted research on vaccine delivery and strategies to reach underserved communities.

She is a past Chair of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council at the National Institutes of Health, Chair-elect of the HIV Medical Association, and previously served as an advisor to both the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

Originally from Maryland, Dr. Walensky received her Bachelor of Arts from Washington University in St. Louis, her Doctor of Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and her Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Walensky is recognized internationally for her work to improve HIV screening and care in South Africa and nationally recognized for motivating health policy and informing clinical trial design and evaluation in a variety of settings.


José T. Montero, MD, MHCDS

Dr. José Montero is the Director, of the Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (CSTLTS)

Director,Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (CSTLTS)

José T. Montero is the director of the Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (CSTLTS), which is CDC’s connection to health officials and leaders of public health agencies, and other government leaders who work with health departments. Under Dr. Montero’s leadership, CSTLTS works to enhance public health systems to help state, tribal, local, and territorial public health agencies deliver high-quality services to the people and communities they serve. CSTLTS collaborates with partners to strengthen public health services; build a diverse, expert public health workforce; and promote evidence-based practices. CSTLTS also is purposefully focused on addressing health disparities to advance health equity, joining with all of CDC to integrate health equity into the fabric of the agency’s work.

Robin D. Bailey Jr., MA

Robin D. Bailey Jr. is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-chair for the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Steering Committee

Chief Operating Officer Co-chair Diversity and Inclusion Executive Steering Committee

Robin Bailey, Jr. is CDC’s chief operating officer. In this role, he provides executive oversight of CDC’s financial resources, human resources strategy and workforce development, information technology services, and the safety and security of CDC’s workforce and facilities. He also serves as the co-chair of CDC’s Diversity and Inclusion Executive Steering Committee.

Mr. Bailey has more than 30 years of federal service in various senior-level positions at the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of the Air Force. Most recently, he served as the human capital officer at IRS. In addition, Mr. Bailey is an Air Force veteran and served as an Air Force civilian in a wide range of leadership positions.

Mr. Bailey holds an undergraduate degree from Park College (now Park University) in Parkville, Missouri, and an MA in communications from the University of Oklahoma.


Dia Taylor, MBA

Dia Taylor is the Director of the Human Resources Office (HRO), Chief Human Capital Officer, and the Deputy Ethics Counselor

Deputy Chief Operating Officer

Dia Taylor serves as the Chief Human Capital Officer, Deputy Ethics Counselor, and Director of CDC’s Human Resources Office (HRO). She has more than 31 years of federal sector leadership experience, with significant experience in leading strategic operational change, public health policy and program development, business management and operations, employee development, organizational development and performance management, business process re-engineering, and developing effective service-oriented organizations.

Most recently, Ms. Taylor served as the Acting Chief Operating Officer of CDC, one of 10 major operating divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In this role, she oversaw management, facilities, and operations at the Atlanta-based public health agency. Specifically, Ms. Taylor managed CDC’s budget; provided oversight for facilities design, maintenance, security, management analysis, and safety and personnel security; lead acquisitions, contractual assistance, and grants; managed information technology and security; and directed human resources strategy, training, and workplace development.

During her tenure as Acting COO, Ms. Taylor played a critical role in standing up key new initiatives for data modernization; implementing 360 evaluations for CDC’s Senior Leadership team; helping stand up the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics; listening to employee concerns about diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion and establishing a relationship with the Partnership for Public Service to assist CDC in critical culture change; and establishing and expanding key CDC programs using COVID-19 funding focused on workforce (internal and external). As acting COO, she also provided operational direction on OCOO functions, including buildings and facilities, IT, human resources, and financial resources.

Since joining CDC in 1990, Ms. Taylor has held several senior-level administrative, policy, and management positions within the agency. As the senior management official for the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, she was responsible for improving business services, practices, and systems through effective and efficient strategic thinking, critical analysis, resource and performance management, change leadership, business policy development, communications, and customer relations management.

Ms. Taylor has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and public policy from Clark College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Goizueta Business School at Emory University. She is also a graduate of the HHS Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program, recipient of the 2006 Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service, and was a member of the CDC team recognized for the 2007 Presidential Award for Management Excellence—President’s Quality Award for Innovative and Exemplary Practices.

Page last reviewed: April 22, 2022