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Brenda Fitzgerald
Brenda Fitzgerald
Brenda Fitzgerald
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Brenda Fitzgerald is an American obstetrician-gynecologist who served as the 17th Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Donald Trump administration from July 2017 to January 2018.[1] Her tenure was one of the shortest in the office's history, excluding interim appointments.[2] Previously, she was the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health from 2011 to 2017.[3]

Key Information

Early life and career

[edit]
Fitzgerald with President George W. Bush and Sonny Perdue in September 2006

In 1972, Fitzgerald received her Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from Georgia State University.[4] She went on to medical school at Emory University, where she graduated in 1977,[4] completed post-graduate training and became an assistant clinical professor.[3] She then joined the United States Air Force, where she served first at Wurtsmith Air Force Base and later at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C. She attained the rank of Major in the Air Force.[3]

After leaving the Air force, Fizgerald entered private practice specializing in gynecology and obstetrics. While in private practice, Fitzgerald promoted "anti-aging medicines" to her patients, medicines which have been criticized as being unsupported by scientific evidence and potentially dangerous.[5][6] She has received board certification from the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, though that organization has not been recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Medical Association.[6]

In 2011, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal appointed Fitzgerald as Director of the state's Division of Public Health (later Commissioner of the Department of Public Health[7]), which office oversees the state's eighteen health districts and the health departments of the 159 counties.[8] During her tenure as Georgia's commissioner of public health, the state improved on some measures, such as immunization coverage for teenagers; but in a combined-outcomes assessment, calculated annually for each state, Georgia's ranking dropped from 37th place in 2011 to 41st 2016.[9] In 2013, Fitzgerald started a $1.2 million statewide school exercise program, "Power Up for 30", with a $1 million donation by The Coca-Cola Company.[10] The Atlanta soft-drink company's donation was part of a broader $3.8 million pledge to the state in Coke's campaign to combat the obesity epidemic with changes to exercise rather than diet.[10]

Professionally, Fitzgerald has served as president of the Georgia OB-GYN Society. She has served as a board member of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials,[11] Georgia Public Policy Foundation, Paul Coverdell Leadership Institute, Georgia State School Board, Voices for Georgia's Children, the Advanced Academy of Georgia, the University of West Georgia Foundation, and the Carrollton Rotary Club.[3]

Politics

[edit]

In 1994, Fitzgerald ran for the Republican nomination in the 7th Congressional District in Georgia. She lost to Bob Barr, gaining 43% of the vote.[12] During the campaign she and Newt Gingrich threw symbolic crates of tea into the Chattahoochee River as a bit of political theater.[13]

Director of the CDC

[edit]

In July 2017, Fitzgerald was appointed by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to succeed Thomas R. Frieden as the Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[14] Anne Schuchat had been acting as interim director since Dr. Frieden's resignation was effective on January 20, 2017.[15]

Fitzgerald was replaced as Georgia's Commissioner of the Department of Public Health by Dr. J. Patrick O'Neal as an interim commissioner.[16]

The Washington Post described her tenure as CDC Director as "low-profile", noting that she had made very few public statements.[17] And she had on at least three occasions sent her deputies to testify in congressional hearings about the opioid epidemic while the agency heads of other agencies testified themselves.[17]

Conflicts of interest

[edit]

By December 2017 and after five months in office, Fitzgerald had yet to divest her financial holdings that posed conflicts of interest in her position at the CDC.[17] Democratic Senator Patty Murray raised questions as to Fitzgerald's ability to lead the CDC's anti-opioid programs given her financial stake in prescription drug monitoring programs.[17]

In January 2018, Politico reported that Fitzgerald had bought shares in the Japan Tobacco company one month after assuming office as Director of the CDC.[18] The investment raised ethical concerns given the CDC's mission to reduce tobacco use, which is the leading cause of preventable disease in the United States.[18] She sold the stocks a few months later.[18] One day after Politico's story broke, Fitzgerald resigned as Director of the CDC on January 31, 2018.[1]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Brenda Fitzgerald

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., is an American board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and public health administrator who served as the 17th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from July 2017 to January 2018, and previously as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health from 2011 to 2017. A graduate of and former major in the U.S. Air Force, Fitzgerald practiced medicine for over 30 years before entering public service. During her tenure as Georgia's commissioner, Fitzgerald prioritized initiatives to reduce , enhance early maternal and child interventions, promote infant , and decrease use, contributing to measurable improvements in state outcomes. Appointed CDC director by Health and Human Services Tom Price amid expectations for leadership in infectious disease control and chronic disease prevention, her time at the agency included efforts to advance security and domestic screening programs, such as for critical congenital heart disease in newborns. Fitzgerald's CDC directorship concluded after six months when she resigned amid revelations of personal financial conflicts, including the purchase of tens of thousands of dollars in shares just weeks after assuming office—despite the CDC's core mission to combat tobacco-related diseases—and other undisclosed holdings that violated agency rules. The episode highlighted challenges in managing executive branch compliance, as Fitzgerald's investments were not fully divested or reported per federal requirements, prompting her departure to avoid distracting from the agency's work.

Early life and education

Formative years and family influences

Brenda Fitzgerald was born in July 1946 in Georgia, where she grew up as a native of the state. Public records provide scant details on her family background or specific parental influences, with no documented accounts of siblings, upbringing dynamics, or early-life events shaping her path toward medicine and . Her pre-college years appear to have been rooted in Georgia, fostering an environment conducive to her later academic pursuits in the sciences, though direct causal links remain unelaborated in available sources.

Academic achievements and medical training

Fitzgerald earned a degree in from in 1972. She obtained her degree from . Fitzgerald completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at from 1977 to 1980, including postgraduate work at Emory-Grady Hospitals.

Professional medical career

Obstetrician-gynecologist practice

Fitzgerald established a private obstetrician-gynecologist practice in , following her residency, maintaining it for approximately three decades until transitioning to leadership in 2011. As a board-certified specialist, she provided clinical services in and gynecology, accumulating over 45 years of experience by the mid-2020s. She held leadership roles within the profession, including serving as president of the Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society from 1994 to 1995. Fitzgerald also attained the rank of Major in the United States Air Force, with service at in and , integrating military medical duties into her early career. Her practice operated in a region west of , emphasizing routine and specialized care, though specific caseload metrics remain undocumented in public records.

Promotion of alternative therapies

In her three-decade private practice as an obstetrician-gynecologist in , Brenda Fitzgerald focused on anti-aging and , earning fellowship certification from the (A4M). She promoted bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) using compounded hormones, subcutaneous hormone pellet implants, and intravenous nutritional therapies to address perceived hormonal deficiencies and nutritional imbalances associated with aging. Her practice website, as archived in 2010, emphasized treating hormone deficiencies as "deficiency diseases" amenable to these interventions, alongside recommendations for supplements such as . These therapies, while marketed for benefits like improved vitality and symptom relief, have faced substantial criticism from mainstream medical authorities for insufficient evidence of long-term safety and efficacy. The U.S. (FDA) has warned that compounded BHRT products lack standardization, rigorous testing, and FDA approval, potentially exposing patients to variable dosing and risks such as or cardiovascular events, unlike FDA-approved hormone therapies supported by trials like the . The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) similarly states that compounded bioidentical hormones do not demonstrate superior outcomes over conventional options and may carry unproven claims. Experts have labeled such anti-aging practices as pseudoscientific or exploitative. Steven Goldstein, an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, described them as "snake oil," arguing they prey on fears of mortality without empirical backing from randomized controlled trials. Nanette Santoro, a reproductive endocrinologist at the University of Colorado, criticized compounded therapies like testosterone pellets as "bioridiculous," citing risks including overdose leading to hirsutism or hair loss, and noting the absence of large-scale evidence for broad anti-aging claims. Women's health advocates, including Cindy Pearson of the National Women's Health Network, have faulted A4M-affiliated promotions for endorsing unproven assertions over evidence-based medicine. Fitzgerald's approach contrasted with standard OB-GYN guidelines, which prioritize FDA-approved treatments backed by causal evidence from prospective studies rather than observational or anecdotal data. She transitioned from private practice to Georgia Public Health Commissioner in 2011, after which her anti-aging focus diminished in public records.

Public health leadership in Georgia

Appointment as commissioner

Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., was appointed as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health by Governor Nathan Deal in 2011. This role made her the state's chief public health officer, responsible for overseeing programs in disease prevention, health protection, and vital statistics across Georgia's districts. Prior to the appointment, Fitzgerald had maintained a private practice as a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist for more than three decades, complemented by her service as a major in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. The selection by Deal, a Republican who assumed office in 2011, aligned with Fitzgerald's established medical credentials and leadership in professional organizations, including her prior presidency of the Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society. No public confirmation process beyond gubernatorial appointment was required for the position under Georgia state structure at the time, enabling her to assume leadership promptly to address ongoing challenges such as and initiatives. Her tenure began amid efforts to consolidate and modernize the state's fragmented services following the merger of local health departments under the Department of reforms.

Policy implementations and outcomes

Upon assuming the role of Georgia Commissioner of in January 2011, Fitzgerald prioritized data-driven strategies to address high rates, which stood at 8.0 deaths per 1,000 live births in compared to the national average of 6.1. She initiated efforts to spotlight the issue through public awareness campaigns and stakeholder partnerships, including expanded home visiting programs for at-risk families and preconception health initiatives targeting risk factors like smoking and inadequate . These measures contributed to a decline in the state's rate to 7.1 per 1,000 live births by 2015, though it remained above the national figure of 5.9. Evaluations indicated that targeted interventions, such as integrating maternal risk screening into , helped reduce preterm births and low birth weights in participating cohorts, but disparities persisted among infants, who faced rates over twice that of infants. Fitzgerald launched statewide campaigns against , including the "Stop Childhood Obesity" initiative in , which promoted and in schools and communities. Fitness assessments under the Georgia FitnessGRAM program showed population-level improvements: from 2010 to 2014, the percentage of students meeting aerobic capacity standards rose from 68% to 72%, and prevalence among elementary students stabilized or slightly declined in monitored districts. The department's 2016-2019 strategic plan, developed under her leadership using "" principles, allocated resources to prevention through district-level , correlating with modest reductions in adult trends in some rural areas per Behavioral data. However, Georgia's overall adult rate hovered around 31% during her tenure, exceeding the national average, with critics noting limited impact on entrenched socioeconomic drivers. In response to emerging opioid challenges, Fitzgerald authorized a standing order in 2013 enabling retail pharmacies to dispense without a prescription, expanding access for overdose reversal. By 2017, this policy had facilitated distribution to over 10,000 individuals via pharmacies, contributing to a stabilization of overdose death rates in select districts amid a national surge. Broader outcomes under her oversight included enhancements to rural health infrastructure, such as telemedicine pilots and WIC program expansions, which improved coverage to 80% for kindergarteners by 2016. Despite these advances, Georgia ranked near the bottom nationally in metrics like maternal mortality (49.0 deaths per 100,000 live births from 2011-2015) and preventable hospitalizations, reflecting persistent gaps in funding and implementation scale.

Evaluations of effectiveness

During her tenure as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of from 2011 to 2017, Fitzgerald's leadership yielded mixed outcomes, with improvements in select areas amid persistent challenges in others, as reflected in rankings. Georgia's overall state health declined from 37th in 2011 to 41st in 2016 according to America's Health Rankings, which aggregates metrics including mortality, morbidity, and behavioral factors. Supporters highlighted targeted initiatives like the Georgia SHAPE program, launched to combat through school-based nutrition and physical activity interventions, which contributed to Georgia dropping from among the top five states in prevalence by 2009 to a lower by 2013. However, adult prevalence rose steadily from 29.1% in 2011 to 31.6% in 2017, exceeding national trends and underscoring limited statewide impact despite partnerships with entities like for funding. Immunization efforts showed relative gains, with teen coverage improving from 29th nationally in 2013 to 21st in 2016, and toddler rates advancing from 14th to 11th over the period. Fitzgerald's pro-vaccine stance aligned with these advancements, avoiding ideological resistance seen in some states. Cardiovascular death rates also edged better, from 40th to 36th. Adult smoking prevalence dipped slightly from 18% in 2010 to 17.5% by 2016, maintaining a stable national rank of 27th, though critics noted inaction on stronger measures like tax hikes could have accelerated declines. Infant mortality remained a stubborn concern, with rates fluctuating between 6.3 and 8.0 per 1,000 live births over the decade encompassing her tenure—persistently higher than the national average of around 5.5—and showing no significant reduction, keeping Georgia near the bottom nationally. Fitzgerald issued calls to action on the issue, including reports emphasizing collaborative prevention, but outcomes lagged, potentially linked to socioeconomic disparities and limited expansion under state policy. Physical inactivity among adults worsened in ranking from 31st to 36th, compounding risks. Critics, including analysts, pointed to Fitzgerald's affiliations with industry—such as Georgia SHAPE's funding—as potentially compromising independence in fights, given the company's sugary drink portfolio. Her emphasis on lifestyle interventions over structural reforms, like broader access, drew scrutiny for not addressing root causes in a state with high poverty and rural-urban divides. Positive evaluations credited effective crisis responses, such as the 2014 Ebola containment with no secondary transmissions, and reductions in HIV medication wait times. Overall, while some metrics improved incrementally, Georgia's entrenched poor performance in key indicators suggested limited transformative impact, attributable in part to fiscal constraints and policy choices prioritizing personal responsibility over expansive government programs.

Political involvement

Republican Party alignment

Fitzgerald sought the Republican nomination for in the U.S. in both 1992 and 1994, losing the latter primary to with 43 percent of the vote. She maintained close ties to Republican leadership, serving as a advisor to former House Speaker and Senator during the 1990s. Her financial support for Republican candidates further evidenced this alignment, with records showing donations to several GOP politicians over the years, as tracked by the Center for Responsive Politics. Fitzgerald's partisan involvement extended to advisory roles on for Republican lawmakers, reinforcing her position within the party's network prior to her appointments.

Advocacy on social issues

Fitzgerald has articulated a personal opposition to abortion while supporting limited restrictions on the procedure and opposing federal funding for it. During her congressional campaign, she stated that the final decision on should ultimately lie between a , her physician, and , a position she described as reflecting her own moral views without endorsing a complete ban. This stance drew criticism from more absolutist anti-abortion groups in Georgia, who viewed it as insufficiently restrictive and opposed her candidacy on those grounds. As Georgia Public Health Commissioner from 2011 to 2017, Fitzgerald enforced state laws requiring proper disposal of fetal remains from s but did not publicly champion expansions of restrictions or related policies. Her initiatives emphasized maternal and infant health, including efforts to reduce rates through improved and family support programs, which aligned with broader Republican emphases on family stability but stopped short of explicit social conservative advocacy on issues like or contraception access. No records indicate active promotion of abstinence-only education or opposition to curricula during her tenure.

Tenure as CDC Director

Nomination and confirmation

On July 7, 2017, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price announced the appointment of Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist and Georgia's Commissioner of since 2011, as the 17th Director of the Centers for Control and Prevention (CDC). The selection followed the resignation of prior Director in January 2017 amid a investigation, with CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat serving as acting director in the interim. Fitzgerald's appointment emphasized her state-level experience in administration, including efforts to expand rural healthcare access and combat in Georgia. The CDC Director position, housed under the Department of Health and Human Services, does not require U.S. confirmation, distinguishing it from many other federal agency leadership roles that necessitate legislative vetting and approval. This direct appointment authority resides with the HHS , enabling swift placement without the delays of hearings or partisan scrutiny. Fitzgerald assumed her duties immediately upon announcement, overseeing an agency with a $7.2 billion budget and approximately 9,000 employees focused on disease prevention and control. Public health organizations, including the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, welcomed the choice, citing Fitzgerald's practical in Georgia as evidence of her readiness to address national challenges like epidemics and infectious disease outbreaks. No significant opposition or delays arose during the transition, reflecting the non-confirmed nature of the role and the administration's priority on aligning CDC with state-level innovators.

Strategic priorities

Upon assuming the role of CDC Director on July 7, 2017, Brenda Fitzgerald articulated a vision centered on the agency's mission of "saving lives and protecting people" through a dual emphasis on science and service. She prioritized defending the nation against health threats, including infectious diseases, chronic conditions, and disasters, while preparing for emerging risks such as the and opioid overdoses. This approach drew from her experience in Georgia public health, extending focuses like maternal and child health to national scales. Key strategic areas included combating infectious diseases, which she identified as a core focus amid budget constraints and global threats. Fitzgerald aimed to strengthen and security, aligning with administration goals to enhance detection and response capabilities at home and abroad. She also emphasized early-childhood development to prevent long-term issues, building on initiatives like language and programs from her state tenure. Specific targets involved reducing maternal mortality—citing 700 annual U.S. deaths—through improved , state collaborations, and evidence-based protocols. To operationalize these priorities, Fitzgerald announced a reorganization in November 2017 around the "One CDC" framework, aiming to foster integration across divisions via "communities of practice" led by four deputy directors. This restructuring sought to sharpen focus on , , and cross-cutting threats, reducing silos for more efficient threat response. Additional goals included boosting HPV rates—targeting beyond the 60% teen coverage in 2016—by promoting stronger provider recommendations, and establishing registries for and outcomes to track defects from threats like Zika, where 10% of affected cases showed birth anomalies. These efforts reflected a commitment to empirical data-driven prevention over reactive measures.

Operational challenges

During her tenure, the CDC confronted a high-severity season in 2017–2018, characterized by predominant A(H3N2) viruses, elevated outpatient visits for reaching 7.7% nationally by mid-February, and an estimated 80,000 excess deaths—the highest since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Hospitals reported overwhelming patient volumes, with some erecting tents for treatment and departments exceeding capacity, straining CDC systems and prompting frequent updates from Fitzgerald emphasizing despite the season's intensity. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated at 36% overall but only 25% against H3N2 strains, highlighting ongoing challenges in antigenic matching and egg-based manufacturing limitations that reduced operational efficacy in outbreak mitigation. Budgetary constraints posed additional hurdles, as the Trump administration's 2018 proposal sought a 17% reduction in CDC funding—approximately $1.2 billion—targeting programs in chronic disease prevention, security, and emergency preparedness, which Fitzgerald inherited upon her July 2017 start and defended amid congressional scrutiny. These cuts threatened core surveillance infrastructure, including the agency's 57 field offices and laboratory networks, at a time when activity demanded heightened resource allocation for antiviral distribution and support. Fitzgerald's leadership was further operationally constrained by extensive recusals from major initiatives, stemming from pre-existing financial holdings in sectors like pharmaceuticals and , which barred her participation in opioid response strategies—a crisis claiming over 47,000 lives annually—and certain efforts, two of CDC's priority domains requiring director-level oversight. This resulted in delegated decision-making to deputies, potentially slowing coordination during the flu peak and limiting strategic pivots, as noted in Department of Health and Human Services statements on her impaired ability to fulfill full duties. Her avoidance of a January 2018 congressional hearing on preparedness, citing reviews, underscored these internal bottlenecks amid external pressures.

Financial conflicts and resignation

In January 2018, revelations emerged that Brenda Fitzgerald, as CDC Director, had engaged in stock purchases creating apparent conflicts with her agency's mandates, particularly its anti-tobacco initiatives. Her financial portfolio included holdings in pharmaceutical and healthcare firms such as and Merck, which necessitated recusals from related policy discussions, including aspects of cancer detection and the opioid crisis, thereby constraining her operational scope. These entanglements had already prompted scrutiny from ethicists and lawmakers, who noted violations of federal standards requiring divestment of assets influenced by agency actions. The decisive issue arose from Fitzgerald's November 2017 acquisition of shares in , a major tobacco producer, valued at tens of thousands of dollars, occurring just months after her July 2017 appointment and amid ongoing review of her prior investments. Japan Tobacco's ownership of a significant stake in a smoking cessation products firm directly intersected with CDC's efforts, which Fitzgerald had championed as Georgia's commissioner. She retained the shares until December 2017, despite ethics pledges to avoid such conflicts, prompting bipartisan congressional concerns over her judgment. On January 31, 2018, Fitzgerald resigned, one day after a investigation detailed the stock transaction, with the Department of Health and Human Services citing her "complex financial interests" as imposing "a broad recusal limiting her ability to complete all of her duties." The episode highlighted lapses in pre-appointment financial disclosures and post-appointment compliance, though no formal ethics violations were prosecuted; critics, including advocates, argued it undermined CDC credibility on . Acting HHS Secretary accepted the resignation, emphasizing the need for unimpeded leadership at the agency.

Post-CDC activities and legacy

Subsequent professional engagements

Following her resignation from the CDC on January 31, 2018, Brenda Fitzgerald returned to Georgia and assumed leadership roles in and resilience-focused nonprofits. She became the Executive Board Chair of Resilient Georgia, a statewide public-private dedicated to preventing (ACEs), healing trauma, and promoting and wellness across communities. In this capacity, Fitzgerald has advocated for integrating into public systems, emphasizing interventions to build resilience and reduce long-term health disparities. Under her chairmanship, Resilient Georgia expanded its regional coalitions to 12 statewide hubs by 2021, facilitating collaborations between healthcare providers, educators, and policymakers to address needs exacerbated by events like the . Fitzgerald has contributed to initiatives such as the organization's advocacy with the Georgia Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission (BHRIC), supporting recommendations for system-wide reforms in behavioral services as outlined in the commission's 2023 . She delivered a TEDxAtlanta talk in 2021 titled "Improving early with words," highlighting the causal impact of on development and resilience in young children, drawing from empirical studies on ACEs and . In September 2024, Fitzgerald received the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities' award for her contributions to statewide efforts, recognizing Resilient Georgia's role in bridging public and private sectors to enhance access to wellness resources. Her work has emphasized data-driven approaches, including metrics on reduced ACEs prevalence through interventions, though independent evaluations of long-term outcomes remain limited. No other major clinical or governmental positions have been reported since her CDC tenure.

Broader contributions and assessments

Fitzgerald's tenure as Georgia's commissioner from to 2017 featured initiatives aimed at reducing rates, which declined by approximately 10% during her leadership through targeted maternal and child health programs. She also promoted "language nutrition" campaigns to enhance , emphasizing parental interaction to mitigate developmental delays. Additionally, her efforts contributed to declines in use prevalence among Georgia adults, from 21.0% in to 17.5% by , via expanded cessation programs and policy advocacy. In recognition of her work on and control, Fitzgerald received the 2015 Sellers-McCroan Award from the Georgia Cancer Coalition. Her approach to in Georgia involved partnerships with private entities, including , to fund community programs; however, this collaboration drew scrutiny for potentially softening anti-sugar messaging in a state with high rates exceeding 35% among adults. Critics, including advocates, argued that aligning with a major beverage producer undermined evidence-based strategies favoring regulatory measures over corporate-sponsored education. Supporters, such as officials, praised her as an effective partner in integrating clinical and efforts. Assessments of Fitzgerald's overall impact highlight her state-level successes in practical interventions but note limitations at the federal level due to her abbreviated CDC directorship from July 2017 to January 2018. The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials commended her selection for emphasizing frontline delivery over bureaucratic expansion. Her resignation, prompted by disclosures of personal investments in shares—valued at up to $15,000 and purchased post-appointment despite CDC's anti-tobacco mandate—eclipsed policy achievements and raised questions about adherence to ethics guidelines. Prior involvement in promoting unverified anti-aging therapies in private practice has also been cited as inconsistent with rigorous scientific standards expected of leaders. Collectively, evaluations portray Fitzgerald as a clinician-turned-administrator effective in localized advocacy but challenged by conflicts in higher-profile roles.

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  58. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6706a2.htm
  59. https://www.statnews.com/2018/01/31/brenda-fitzgerald-investments/
  60. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/01/31/582099166/cdc-director-resigns-due-to-complex-financial-entanglements
  61. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/31/cdc-director-resigns-over-financial-conflicts-380206
  62. https://www.resilientga.org/our-leadership
  63. https://www.imyeg.com/council-of-founders1/brenda-fitzgerald
  64. https://www.resilientga.org/post/resilient-georgia-makes-mental-wellness-more-accessible-in-georgia-by-expanding-to-12-statewide
  65. https://www.resilientga.org/statewide-advocacy
  66. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65JxvMlugNo
  67. https://www.instagram.com/p/C_zDMU_tYQF/
  68. https://publichealth.uga.edu/resilient-georgia-links-public-and-private-organizations-to-bolster-fight-against-child-trauma/
  69. https://apnews.com/georgia-health-commissioner-named-cdc-director-in-atlanta-a7f33cbcc3414d7587c5b4b19877a9fb
  70. https://www.georgiacancerinfo.org/cancer-news/georgia/dph-commissioner-fitzgerald-receives-sellers-mccro/434
  71. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/22/health/brenda-fitzgerald-cdc-coke.html
  72. https://www.center4research.org/new-cdc-head-fitzgerald-peddled-controversial-anti-aging-medicine-leaving-private-practice/
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