California Adds Fired CDC Director and Resigned Medical Officer to Public Health Team

In a move that underscores California’s pushback against federal health policy, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that former CDC officials Susan Monarez and Dr. Debra Houry will serve as public health consultants for the state.

Appointment Details

Monarez, who was fired by the Trump administration after being confirmed as CDC director in July, and Houry, who resigned as the agency’s chief medical officer and deputy director in August, will work with California’s public health department to help build trust in “science-driven decision‑making,” Newsom’s office said.

The announcement follows a broader effort by the state to establish its own public health guidance. In September, California joined Washington and Oregon—states with Democratic governors—to launch an alliance aimed at setting independent vaccine recommendations amid sweeping changes to vaccine and health policy by the Trump administration.

Governor’s Rationale

“We’re not just wringing our hands right now — we’re fighting back,” Newsom said at a news conference. “This is a substantive response to what is not happening in Washington.”

The governor has repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump and challenged Republican policies in court. His final term ends in just over a year, and he is preparing for a possible presidential run in 2028.

California state Sen. Tony Strickland, a Republican, said the initiative announced Monday is an example of Newsom prioritizing his national political ambitions over the state. “California has serious problems, and we need serious solutions from a serious leader,” Strickland said in a statement.

The White House and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to emails seeking comment on the Monarez and Houry hirings.

Background on the CDC Officials

Monarez, a former director of a federal biomedical research agency, was named acting director of the CDC in January. Trump later nominated her to serve as director. She was confirmed by the Senate in July, making her the first non‑physician to hold the position. She was fired by the Trump administration in August after less than a month in the post.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly spread falsehoods about vaccines, and the administration has issued health recommendations this year that experts say were not backed by science. Trump, in September, urged pregnant women not to take Tylenol, claiming it could pose a risk of autism to their babies—a claim medical experts said was irresponsible.

The CDC website was changed last month to contradict the long‑standing scientific conclusion that vaccines do not cause autism. A federal vaccine advisory panel voted earlier this month to reverse decades‑old guidance recommending that all U.S. babies receive the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born. The vaccine is credited with preventing thousands of illnesses.

Monarez said her firing was not because she was “untrustworthy,” as Kennedy claimed. In congressional testimony she said she was fired after refusing to endorse new vaccine recommendations that weren’t backed by science.

Houry, who spent more than a decade at the CDC, was among a handful of top officials who resigned around the time Monarez was fired. She said in August she was concerned about the rise of vaccine misinformation during the Trump administration, as well as planned budget cuts, reorganization and firings at the CDC.

Roles in California

Monarez will advise California on advancing health technologies, state officials said at the news conference. “California is leading the way to no longer sit on the sidelines and hope for a better future,” Monarez said. “California is investing and innovating now to build the public health systems that will protect lives, strengthen communities and create a future in which all Californians can thrive.”

Houry will serve as a regional and global public health adviser as part of the California initiative. She said the effort will “serve as a model for how states can lead together in an era of shifting federal priorities, constrained resources and evolving health threats.”

Key Takeaways

• California has hired former CDC director Susan Monarez and former chief medical officer Dr. Debra Houry as public health consultants.
• The move is part of the state’s broader strategy to establish independent vaccine guidance alongside Washington and Oregon.
• Governor Newsom framed the appointments as a response to perceived shortcomings in federal health policy and highlighted California’s role in advancing science‑driven public health.

The appointments signal California’s continued push to assert autonomy over public health decisions in the face of federal policy shifts, while the state’s new public health alliance aims to set its own guidance on vaccines and other health matters.