stephen kaufer

CEO & Co-founder, Give Freely / Co-founder & former CEO, Tripadvisor

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

Some people love shopping, others hate shopping. But everyone has a great cause that they support. Please visit https://t.co/2WgIeLr4zm to install Give Freely (a Chrome browser plugin), and let your holiday shopping help support your favorite charity, at no cost to you. (1/2)

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

@samanthajgross I've been very happy with Markey as my senator... but it's time for some new blood, and Seth is great!

[Edward Wong @ewong]

Last weekend, people across the Americas woke up to news of Trump ordering US forces to attack Venezuela and seize Maduro and his wife. That was followed by Greenland, an ICE agent’s lethal shooting of Renee Good, and Trump considering a new strike on Iran. Now we have this.

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

I remain a supporter of raising taxes on the rich, like the millionaires tax in Massachusetts, as well as universal health care. For the record. And it is not an “either/or” choice if anyone retorts that we should cut wasteful government spending!

[Mitt Romney @MittRomney]

We’ve reached a point where any mix of solutions to our nation’s economic problems is going to involve the wealthiest Americans contributing more. https://t.co/m0zXuXeC43

[Dad Jokes @Dadsaysjokes]

There are 2 types of people in this world: those who can't relax when there are dishes in the sink and those who don't even notice them.

And they end up marrying each other.

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

Courtesy of RFK's/Florida's MASA (Make America Sick Again) agenda...

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

RFK is dangerous to us all.

[DrDemetre @dr_demetre]

My resignation letter from CDC.

Dear Dr. Houry,

I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business.   I am happy to stay on for two weeks to provide transition, if requested.

This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough.

While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I believe that it is imperative to align my professional responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the American people.  This step is necessary to ensure that I can contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to my principles.

I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health.  The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people.   The data analyses that supported this decision have never been shared with CDC despite my respectful requests to HHS and other leadership.  This lack of meaningful engagement was further compounded by a “frequently asked questions” document written to support the Secretary’s directive that was circulated by HHS without input from CDC subject matter experts and that cited studies that did not support the conclusions that were attributed to these authors.  Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people.

It is untenable to serve in an organization that is not afforded the opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health importance released under the moniker of CDC.  The lack of communication by HHS and other CDC political leadership that culminates in social media posts announcing major policy changes without prior notice demonstrate a disregard of normal communication channels and common sense.  Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function.  Some examples include the announcement of the change in the COVID-19 recommendations for children and pregnant people, the firing of scientists from ACIP by X post and an op-ed rather than direct communication with these valuable experts, the announcement of new ACIP members by X before onboarding and vetting have completed, and the release of term of reference for an ACIP workgroup that ignored all feedback from career staff at CDC.

The recent term of reference for the COVID vaccine work group created by this ACIP puts people of dubious intent and more dubious scientific rigor in charge of recommending vaccine policy to a director hamstrung and sidelined by an authoritarian leader.   Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults.  Their base should be the people they serve not a political voting bloc.

I have always been first to challenge scientific and public health dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again.  I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season.  Such briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support the vision of “Making America Healthy Again.”  We are seven months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary.  I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us.  Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources.  At a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should not take medical advice from him.  To the contrary, an appropriately briefed and inquisitive Secretary should be a source of health information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree with him, that he should not be considered a source of accurate information.

The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer.  I believe in nutrition and exercise.  I believe in making our food supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent death and disability.  Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun.

The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning.  My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so.  I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud.   I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur.  I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed.

For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics.  I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision.

Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration that I have been afforded during my time at the CDC. It has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the health and well-being of communities across the nation even when under attack from within both physically and psychologically.

Thank you once again for the support and guidance I have received from you and previous CDC leadership throughout my tenure. I wish the CDC continued success in its vital mission and that HHS reverse its dangerous course to dismantle public health as a practice and as an institution.  If they continue the current path, they risk our personal well-being and the security of the United States.

Sincerely,

Demetre C. Daskalakis MD MPH (he/his/him)

[grinninglabs @grinninglabs]

Queue: one letter working, four letters pretending to. Basically every group project 📚. #dadjokes #jokes #lol

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

Joke of the day ... hit the heart if you liked it. Repost if you loved it!

[grinninglabs @grinninglabs]

What do you call a pig that does karate?

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

Joke of the day ... hit the heart if you liked it. Repost if you loved it! More coming...

[grinninglabs @grinninglabs]

Someone stole all of my light bulbs... 😂😂

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

@grinninglabs ha ha ... keep em coming!

[Bill Gurley @bgurley]

@mcuban @RakeshSFNYC I would argue get all employers out of the healthcare system. Run the other way. The United States is the only G20 country where the majority of healthcare coverage is provided through private employer-sponsored insurance. And employers are reluctant unnecessary third parties.

[Chris Murphy 🟧 @ChrisMurphyCT]

I want to tell you why the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia should matter to you.

The one power you cannot give the executive is the ability to imprison or expel anyone regardless of their legal rights. That is our key check against autocracy. And we are watching it disappear.

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

I just read through the details of what Trump was demanding from Harvard. While I was disappointed at Harvard's handling of the campus incidents that followed October 7th, I stand with Harvard today as a proud alum.

[Harvard University @Harvard]

The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government. https://t.co/5k5t9RYYC2

[George Conway ⚖️🇺🇸 @gtconway3d]

You know who’s dumber than Peter Navarro? The guy who’s listening to him.

[Rick Perlstein @rickperlstein]

Do not look away.

[Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ @RepDonBacon]

Gallup Poll: 69% of Americans want to sustain military aid to Ukraine at current or higher levels. https://t.co/6TxdYh2zs8

[Kelsey Piper @KelseyTuoc]

"no one has died" because of feeding USAID to the woodchipper, Elon claimed. In this devastating piece the NYT went out and learned some of their names and stories:

[Atul Gawande @Atul_Gawande]

“We are witnessing one of the worst and most costly foreign policy blunders in U.S. history.” https://t.co/1atEAZiYD7

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

Great opportunity for new startups!

[Parker McKee @parker_mckee]

Our @pillar_vc 2025 Moonshot competition is live! Receive up to $1M in funding for your startup or idea. Open to ALL current university undergrad and grad students, postdocs and faculty. Apply by Sunday, March 2nd.

Based in Boston? We’re hosting launch parties at Harvard (2/25) and MIT (2/26). Join us!  (link in comments)

[stephen kaufer @kaufer]

@Tripadvisor