'Transformation' Project Underway at CDC

The CDC has initiated an enterprise transformation project known as CDC Voyager, leaving employees uncertain about its implications for the agency's future. Sean Slovenski, the principal deputy director and chief operating officer, announced the project in an email after Erica Schwartz, MD, MPH, who recently took on the role of director, was sworn in.

The CDC Voyager project aims to set the course for the agency's future, focusing on emergency public health responses and infectious diseases. This could potentially lead to the creation of two separate agencies - one dedicated to emergency public health and another focused on infectious diseases. However, these plans are likely to remain theoretical due to the need for Congressional funding and approval.

The Voyager project begins with listening sessions, where Slovenski and Jennifer Shuford, MD, MPH, have been conducting coffee chats with CDC employees and holding virtual sessions with leaders of various centers, institutes, and offices. Leadership plans to address what CDC should prioritize and how it can evolve during more listening sessions throughout December.

Simultaneously, they aim to implement immediate improvements to simplify processes, decrease administrative burden, and remove barriers to mission-critical work. The new leadership, including Schwartz, plans to engage with teams across the CDC, seeking input on what the agency must protect, what is hindering their best work, and what needs urgent improvement to fulfill its core mission.