He also spoke to staff along with outgoing acting CDC Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the US National Institutes of Health. “Chairman, the secretary absolutely will allow me to be the CDC director. “You can be CDC director and just take orders,” said Cassidy, who is also a medical doctor. “We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization. The day after the shooting, Kennedy issued condolences on social media to Rose’s family and acknowledged the pain of CDC employees.