Alexander P. Isakov

Alexander P. Isakov, MD, MPH, FACEP, FAEMS, a professor of emergency medicine at Emory, founded CEPAR in 2007 and served as its executive director for 18 years. He now serves the university as Executive Director for Health Security. He provides oversight and leadership for numerous initiatives aimed at improving the disaster resilience of Emory and the broader community. His professional experience includes service as an officer in the United States Navy, consulting for the CDC, deploying with the National Disaster Medical System, and providing leadership in EMS and disaster preparedness. He is also the founding director for Emory’s Section of Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, whose faculty and staff provide medical oversight for 911 communications centers, first responders, air and ground ambulance services, and special events in the metropolitan Atlanta area.

Isakov has been active in programs to improve EMS and community disaster resilience locally, regionally, and nationally. He led the Academic-Community Partnership for Sustainable Preparedness and Response Systems project of the Emory Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center, which explored the relationship between academic institutions and the public health preparedness and emergency management communities. He previously served as a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Strengthening the Disaster Resilience of Academic Research Communities and the Ad Hoc Committee on the Certification of Personal Protective Technologies for the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. He is currently the Emergency Medical Services lead for the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center. He is a member of the Epidemic Expert Panel of the American College of Emergency Physicians and a subject matter expert for the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange. He chairs the Georgia EMS Medical Director’s Advisory Council and the EMS Sub Board of the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Isakov leads a consortium to implement the HHS Region 4 Regional Disaster Health Response System (RDHRS) funded by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

He is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine in both emergency medicine and emergency medical services. He practices clinically in the emergency department of Emory University Hospital and is also the medical director for Emory EMS, Sandy Springs Fire Department and Air Life Georgia.