A Person of Principle

Public health is not the career choice for fameseekers. By contrast, it is known for being a field that operates in the background, as public health experts work to prevent disease outbreaks, inform strong health policy, and keep people safe from illness.

But sometimes, public health leaders are thrust into the limelight where they can be known more broadly. Anthony Fauci, MD, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president is one example. Debra Houry, MD, an adjunct professor at Rollins, is another.

Last September, Houry made headline news when she publicly resigned from her position as chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Houry and colleagues Demetre Daskalakis, MD, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; and Daniel Jernigan, MD, director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; quit their positions in protest following CDC director Susan Monarez’s ousting and concerns about scientific integrity.

Their resignations activated a supportive response from public health practitioners, CDC colleagues, and people around the country inspired by the scientists’ integrity. On their home turf of Atlanta, the emotional response was on full display. People lining Clifton Road—the road where both CDC headquarters and Rollins buildings are located— clapped, cried, cheered, and held signs praising Houry and her colleagues for their fortitude.

Just 30 years before, Houry had been walking along the Emory Quad as an anonymous student. Now, she was on national news, where she became the quick target for praise—and criticism. It seemed like the type of drama you’d see in a scripted TV series or movie, not the scenes from a typical public health practitioner’s life. Though, to be fair, Houry is far from typical.

Called to Heal

Houry always felt a pull toward science. Raised in Virginia among a family of lawyers and judges, Houry found the mysteries and complexities of science more compelling than the inner workings of a courtroom. She attended Emory University for her undergraduate studies—majoring in biology with a minor in philosophy—then received her MPH and MD at Tulane University.

It was during early adulthood, amid the grisly chaos of the emergency room, where Houry developed her signature steadiness and resilience. As a student volunteer at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta and later as a medical student and emergency physician, she saw the violence, tragedy, and fragility of life on daily display. This witnessing was something she held close and vowed never to forget.

“I would think people hated playing the worst day game with me, because I would hear people talk about the days they had. And I'd say, ‘Well, I just saw this woman who lost her family in a car crash or pregnant woman who was shot.’ Or I'd come home covered in blood and people were like, ‘Okay, yes, I can't complain about my day.’ So, I think that always kept things in perspective for me. And even when I got to CDC, I'd say to my staff, ‘Let's not create emergencies. Let's put the drama aside and focus on what really matters.’”

This known quality in Houry’s character is why she believes many people found her departure from CDC startling. “I’m not a faint of heart person. I handle chaos and crisis just fine, but after eight months of continued trauma and political interference, I couldn't continue, particularly when integrity and scientific judgment were called into question,” she says.

“Leadership is not about holding a title. It's about holding a line.”

Debra Houry, MD

Rollins 2026 commencement address

She spoke about that decision to resign— “one of the hardest decisions of my life”— as she delivered Rollins’ 2026 commencement address. “One of my favorite quotes is ‘well-behaved women seldom make history.’ I’ve taken that to mean don’t stay silent,” she told the audience of students, parents, and faculty. “Stand up for what you believe in. Leadership is not about holding a title. It's about holding a line.”

From the Emergency Room to the Situation Room

Houry is a person of science, but also a strategist who is difficult to rattle. It’s a constitution that has made her a natural person to tap for high-pressure, high-visibility roles. Her decade-long employment at CDC spanned four presidential administrations and included leading the nation’s efforts to combat suicide, the opioid epidemic, outbreaks, and rebuilding the agency after COVID-19.

At Emory, Houry helped build Emory School of Medicine’s Department of Emergency Medicine into a top research program, led Emory’s Injury Prevention Research Center, and served on the Emory University Alumni Board and Emory University Senate.

Stephen Patrick, MD, chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Rollins, has known and worked with Houry in various capacities over the past 10 years, including while he was working in the White House.

“My experience with Deb is that she's a thoughtful, effective leader. She's certainly somebody that I would be happy working for and working with. I think what we've seen over the last year or two is she's also a principled leader. So, I've always known her to be a person who is not afraid to speak her mind, but she does it in a way that is motivated by doing good and by serving the patients and the public that we're trying to serve.”

This steady fearlessness continues to steer Houry—and local communities—well through her work as a freelance strategist and advisor. Through her company, DH Leadership and Strategy Solutions, she advises elected officials, organizations, and state and local health organizations on public health science, strategy, solutions, and preparation.

Never one to hold her knowledge close, Houry has a book in the works about crisis leadership, which is slated for publication in 2027. She also is a frequent guest on national podcasts, television shows, and at universities around the nation, where she is an in-demand speaker. In addition to her affiliation with Emory as an adjunct professor for both Rollins and Emory School of Medicine, Houry is also a senior fellow at Yale University. 

“Deb Houry is a fearless leader,” says Carlos del Rio, MD, H. Cliff Sauls Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Emory School of Medicine. “She is committed to excellence and to science-informed public health. She understands well the connections between clinical medicine and public health.” 

Is this the life Houry imagined living when she was a child dreaming of becoming a doctor? It’s unlikely. But as someone who always wanted to help people, she is certainly achieving her longtime goal. It’s a passion she hopes to instill in others.

“It is precisely the right time. When science is challenged, it needs steady voices."

Debra Houry, MD

“Public health is one of the most powerful forces for improving human life,” she says. To those who question going into this field now, she is adamant.

“It is precisely the right time. When science is challenged, it needs steady voices. When evidence is questioned, it needs people who insist on rigor. And when the path forward feels uncertain, it needs leaders who will ground decisions in data, in facts, and in the health of our communities.”