On Monday, July 7, Alan Sim, Ph.D., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) chief data officer, announced his departure from the agency in a LinkedIn post. The epidemiologist had been in his role for close to five years. Sim expressed as having mixed emotions as he announced his departure.
“While change is inevitable and public health concerns rapidly shift—from Ebola to global HIV, opioid misuse, cancer, COVID, and whatever the next challenge may be—the fundamental need for data, insights, guidelines, and collaborative sharing/communication of factual, objective, and scientifically-based public health information remains paramount,” Sim wrote. “These elements are essential to ensure the trust, health, and safety of our nation.”
Sim’s role with the CDC was his second stint at the agency. Sim was a graduate fellow and a health informatics scientist at the CDC from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.
“Whether you are currently or have previously been employed in a public health institution, hold your head up high,” Sim wrote encouragingly. “Your contributions and commitment have not gone unnoticed. I wish all of you continued success in rebuilding and strengthening our public health infrastructure - our nation needs you!”
About the Author
Pietje Kobus
Pietje Kobus has an international background and experience in content management and editing. She studied journalism in the Netherlands and Communications and Creative Nonfiction in the U.S. Pietje joined Healthcare Innovation in January 2024.