WASHINGTON — Dr. Rochelle Walensky, who has played a vital role in the administration’s pandemic response over the past two years, is leaving as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a job she held since President Joe Biden came into office in Jan. 2021.

Her departure was confirmed on Friday by the White House in a statement from Biden that said Walensky “has saved lives with her steadfast and unwavering focus on the health of every American.”

“As Director of the CDC, she led a complex organization on the frontlines of a once-in-a-generation pandemic with honesty and integrity. She marshalled our finest scientists and public health experts to turn the tide on the urgent crises we’ve faced,” Biden said.

The president continued, “Dr. Walensky leaves CDC a stronger institution, better positioned to confront health threats and protect Americans. We have all benefited from her service and dedication to public health, and I wish her the best in her next chapter.”

The statement didn’t identify why Walensky was leaving the agency, which is based in Atlanta. Her departure comes a few days after a 39-year-old CDC employee, Amy St. Pierre, was shot and killed in the shooting in midtown Atlanta on Wednesday.