Leading with Integrity: Dr. Deb Houry Headlines Murphy Institute 2026 Yates Lecture
The Murphy Institute explored the themes of public service, scientific integrity, and leadership in times of crisis at the 2026 Mary C. Parker Yates Lecture on September 23rd, held in the Qatar Ballroom of the Lavin-Bernick Center on Tulane’s Uptown Campus. A board-certified emergency physician and former Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Deb Houry drew on nearly three decades of experience in public health and emergency medicine to discuss what it means to lead through uncertainty while staying grounded in core values.
In her lecture, “Leading with Integrity through Chaos: My Time at the CDC,” Dr. Houry offered a candid reflection on leadership, public service, and scientific integrity during one of the most turbulent periods in the recent history of the CDC.
Addressing a packed audience of students, faculty, and community members, she emphasized that integrity is most important when circumstances make it difficult to uphold.
“What I realized quickly, was I was going to be more of an ER doctor than anything else my last few months at CDC.”
Throughout her talk, Dr. Houry returned to lessons learned during her medical training and years working in emergency departments. She described leadership as a form of triage: assessing urgent threats, prioritizing limited resources, and making difficult decisions quickly while keeping people safe.
Using examples from her tenure at the CDC, Dr. Houry described dramatic organizational changes that occurred beginning in 2025, including workforce reductions, leadership turnover, and disruptions to public health programs. She recounted the events of April 1, 2025, when thousands of employees received notices that their positions were being eliminated and agency leaders were given only hours to determine how critical programs would continue operating.
“We lost about 30 percent of our workforce,” she told attendees. “I had eight hours with the nation's programs to figure out what we could save and what was going to break.”
Drawing parallels to emergency medicine, Dr. Houry explained that moments of crisis clarified the principles that guided her decision-making. Chief among them was the medical ethic of “first, do no harm.” Whether evaluating public messaging during disease outbreaks or navigating requests that conflicted with established scientific evidence, she said her focus remained on protecting public health and maintaining scientific accuracy.
“I will not do anything that will result in harm to the public,” she said.
A recurring theme throughout the lecture was the importance of establishing personal and professional “red lines” before entering a crisis. Dr. Houry encouraged students and leaders alike to identify their core values in advance, arguing that ethical boundaries become easier to blur when individuals are under pressure.
“You have to know what your red lines are,” she explained. “When those red lines come, you have to honor them.”
Dr. Houry also spoke about the responsibility leaders have to protect the people they serve. Recalling a shooting at CDC headquarters that followed years of misinformation and hostility directed toward public health officials, she described prioritizing staff well-being over appearances of normalcy. Rather than insisting employees immediately return to business as usual, she advocated for recovery, listening sessions, and trauma-informed support.
The discussion expanded beyond agency leadership to address broader challenges facing public health and science communication. During a conversation moderated by Murphy Institute Executive Director Gary "Hoov" Hoover, Dr. Houry reflected on declining public trust in scientific institutions, persistent misinformation, and the difficulties of communicating uncertainty in a rapidly changing information environment.
While acknowledging the importance of data and evidence, she argued that facts alone are often insufficient to change minds.
“I have found data doesn't always work. It's the stories.”
Audience questions explored topics ranging from vaccine hesitancy and the growing wellness industry to artificial intelligence, public trust, legal ethics, and institutional accountability. Throughout the discussion, Dr. Houry emphasized the need for scientists, educators, policymakers, and community leaders to communicate more effectively with the public while remaining open to dialogue and committed to evidence-based decision-making.
Despite the serious nature of many topics discussed, Dr. Houry concluded on a hopeful note. She highlighted the innovative work being undertaken by universities, state and local health departments, community organizations, and technology companies that are stepping up to address emerging public health challenges.
“What gives me hope,” she said, “is that local, state, regional, universities, and other sectors are filling that gap.”
She pointed to new opportunities for collaboration, advances in technology and artificial intelligence, and growing engagement from communities across the country as signs that meaningful progress remains possible.
As the conversation concluded, Dr. Houry reminded attendees that leadership is ultimately rooted not in titles or institutions, but in the willingness to act according to one's values.
“For me,” she reflected, “it's always: can I sleep at night if I don't say what needs to be said?”
The annual Mary C. Parker Yates Lecture, the Murphy Institute's premier public event, brings distinguished scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to Tulane University to engage the community in discussion of contemporary issues at the intersection of ethics, policy, leadership, and society. Dr. Houry's lecture continued that tradition, offering a timely reflection on courage, public service, and the importance of leading with integrity through uncertainty.