Emergency and Disaster Management Degree – Metropolitan College of New York

Meet the Faculty for the MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management

Professor Gheith joined Project Liberty immediately following the disastrous events of 9/11, where he outreached to union workers at ground zero, addressed the special needs of vulnerable population, and trained counselors on methods of providing culturally appropriate disaster mental health services to the diverse NYC communities. He conducted the first known research on NYC Muslim mental health needs and the role of the imams into the day-to-day lives of the American-Muslim communities. He’s an expert on international affairs, Islamic and Middle Eastern studies. In early 2003, Mr. Gheith joined the NYC DOHMH as a coordinator of Population Based Resilience. Professor Gheith responded to every major crisis since 9/11. Recently, he was assigned as regional coordinator for a citywide H1N1 vaccine campaign effort to inoculate New Yorkers. He is the author or co-author of journal articles and abstracts. He is an extremely active figure in a number of professional organizations, and a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable in our communities. Professor Gheith is the recipient of the NYC distinguished Service Award for his work with community and faith leaders across New York City.

Dr. Belmar is a pediatrician and medical school professor who served as health commissioner and director of public health emergency response to pandemic influenza for the city of Santiago, Chile. Following the most recent earthquake in Chile, Dr. Belmar was the Incident Commander responsible for restoring the public health systems in Chile. He started his teaching career in community medicine in Chile during the 1960s. Dr. Belmar helped lead the Chilean National Health Service, but his career was cut short when he was forced to flee Chile when the democratically elected president of Chile, was assassinated in a 1973 military coup. With the assistance of Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, Belmar and his family settled in New York and joined the Department of Social Medicine as deputy chair of social medicine. He became a key force in the development of the Community Health Participation Program, which trained local residents as community health workers.

Tom Carey (MS in Criminal Justice and Security Administration, Long Island University)

Adjunct Professor Carey is a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom who obtained the rank of Sergeant Major in his 27 years of service. During his tour he served as both a committee member and advisor on security issues and operational issues for the Iraq Ministry of Defense complex in Baghdad, for Multi-National Force Iraq. He is also a twenty-three year (23) veteran of the New York City Police Department, serving in the capacity as the Course Manager for the Chief of Organized Crime’s Training Unit prior to his retirement. He has obtained both professional and academic training through many organizations to include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, The United States Army Military Police School’s Special Reaction Team Course, NYPD Bomb Squad and Counter Terrorism Bureau. Carey also is a graduate of Long Island University at C.W. Post, where he received a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Security Administration.

George W. Contreras (MS in Hospital Administration, Iona College; MPH in Community Health Education, Hunter College; PhD (candidate), Columbia University)

Adjunct Professor Contreras serves as the president and chief executive officer of The GWC Group, an international emergency management consulting firm. He is former director of Emergency Management for New York University Medical Center. Contreras was the senior emergency manager in the Bureau of Emergency Management at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. He served as adjunct faculty at New York University, New York Medical College and Hunter College. He's a frequent lecturer at national and international conferences regarding EMS, public health, emergency and disaster management issues. He works as a New York City paramedic and instructor at various hospital-based EMS departments.

Mr. Curtin is the voluntary agency liaison for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region II-New York/New Jersey. He has more than 38 years of experience in disaster and emergency human service. Curtin also has served on assignments in 24 states and 30 foreign countries. As such, he has held staff positions with International Rescue Committee as Program Officer for Easter Africa, Christian Children’s Fund as Director of Emergency Programs, Catholic Relief Services as an international disaster and refugee program coordinator and three different times for American Red Cross Disaster Services in New York City. He has a wide range of human services experience in domestic and international disaster relief including wars, earthquakes, floods, refugee programs, urban disasters and famines.

Adjunct Professor Decker is a licensed clinical social worker and credentialed alcohol and substance abuse counselor with 27 years of experience as a clinician and administrator. For the past 8 years he has focused on mental health disaster preparedness and response. In 2001 he joined the federally funded Project Liberty program in NYC as a Senior Program Consultant Supervisor, where he provided technical assistance to numerous programs in the design and implementation of their outreach, crisis counseling and educational programs. In that capacity, he coordinated with a team of experts that planned and administered the city's mental health response to all 9/11 and flight 587 anniversaries and memorials. He served as the Hospital Coordinator at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's were he coordinated training for all NYC hospital employees on mental health risk communication and reviewed all of New York City's hospital disaster plans .He currently serves as the Emergency Response Coordinator for the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's; Office of Mental Health Disaster Preparedness and Response where he is responsible for developing systems and protocols for responding to the psychological sequelae of disasters and public health emergencies.

Seth Golbey is Director of Planning and External Relations for the American Red Cross in Greater New York. His responsibilities include liaison with government agencies, NGOs, and CBOs in disaster planning and response. He was formerly a member of the preparedness staff at Red Cross national headquarters in Washington, DC, where he collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in developing public health emergency preparedness education strategies. He is a subject matter expert in government operations on the Red Cross’s national disaster response team with which he has deployed regularly to large-scale disasters. Seth has participated in the development of numerous disaster response plans for New York City. He is secretary of NYC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.

David Longshore (BA, Amherst College; MA in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense), Naval Postgraduate School)

Adjunct Professor Longshore served as Director of Special Programs at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management (NYCOEM) between 2000 and 2004. He was among the first responders to the World Trade Center disaster, and played an integral role in coordinating the City’s response to numerous emergencies, including the crash of American Airlines Flight 587, the 2001anthrax attack, and the 2003 Northeastern Blackout. A veteran of the U.S. Navy and the author of several books, plays, and short stories, including the Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones (1998; Second Edition, 2000; Third Edition, 2007).

Mick Maurer is the Director, Disaster Training & Exercises at the American Red Cross in Greater New York. Prior to these duties, Maurer was a researcher and co-investigator at the NYU Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST) from 1999-2001 and an instructor for Center for Management of the Division of Business and Legal Studies of the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) in the Business Continuity & Homeland Security certificate program. Maurer was a founder and the first director of the Metropolitan College of New York's Master of Public Administration in Emergency and Disaster Management.

Gerard McCarty (BA in Criminal Justice, John Jay College; MPA in Operations, John Jay College)

Adjunct Professor McCarty currently serves as general manager for emergency management at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Before joining the Port Authority in 2004, McCarty served as a New York City police officer in the uniform, as well as undercover division. In 1995, he joined the New York City Mayor’s Office of Operations as the First Deputy Mayor’s representative to the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), then a unit within the NYPD, and supervised the transfer of OEM to an independent organization within the Mayor’s Office to include the recruitment of a new director and the selection of hiring of staff. After joining the newly revitalized OEM as Chief of Staff, McCarty was promoted to Deputy Director of Field Operations, and later to Deputy Director for Special Operations. During this time, he's was deployed by the city to disaster sites across the globe, including the relief efforts to Italy following the earthquakes in 1996; Kosovo at the conclusion of NATO actions and the Dominican republic in the wake of Hurricane George. In 1999, he joined FEMA, where he coordinated preparedness and disaster relief to events around the world, including the World Trade Center disaster, where he served as deputy operations section chief. McCarty is a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and a master’s degree in Public Administration.

Professor Motola has over 27 years of NYC local government experience and is currently the Director of Logistics & Emergency Preparedness for the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. She also held the position of Corporate Security Manager at Polo Ralph Lauren headquarters. Previously, she worked at NYC Department of Transportation, for nineteen (19) years and for the last five (5) was the Director of Facility Security. Professor Motola joined the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation in 1979 as an original Urban Park Ranger, and was later promoted to the position of Manhattan Borough Supervisor, based in Central Park. In May, 2007, she earned a Master of Science degree in Protection Management, with a concentration in Emergency Management, from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Jessica O'Neill (MS in Social Sciences, University of Chicago; MS in Criminal Justice, John Jay College)

Adjunct Professor O'Neill currently is the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s pandemic influenza coordinator. She specializes in teaching sociological issues related to disaster. O’Neill is a graduate of the University of Chicago and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she received a master's degree in social sciences and a master's degree in criminal justice, respectively.

Susamma Seeley (BS, John Jay College of Criminal; MPA, Metropolitan College of New York) sseeley@ccbq.org

Susamma Seeley, MPA (Guest Lecturer) is the Director of Emergency Management for Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens (CCBQ), the social service arm of the Diocese of Brooklyn. As the largest Catholic Charities in the United States, CCBQ operates over 150 programs in over 100 sites throughout the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. Susamma is also a member of the Catholic Charities USA National Disaster Response Team and has deployed to assist with the response after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. Susamma is a veteran of the U.S. Army and has spent time serving overseas in Germany as well as the National Desert Training Center (NTC) in Fort Irwin, California. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a Bachelor’s in Criminology. Susamma is a Past-President of the MCNY student chapter of the International Association of Emergency Managers and graduated with honors from the MCNY Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program. She is an active member of the International Association of Emergency Managers and serves on many committees throughout the country.

Adjunct Professor Patterson currently serves as the Assistant Director of Information Technology for a major NYC Hospital Network. Prior to his current position, he was a Management Consultant supporting consequence management initiatives for the NYC Department of Health, including the NYC Tuberculosis Epidemic, the Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak, and the recent West Nile Virus outbreak. Professor Patterson is also a commissioned officer in the New York State Guard, serving as a Battalion Commander. He is also the Liaison Officer and Officer-in-Charge of the NYG Component of Joint Task Force-Empire Shield’s surge force (the military Homeland Security and disaster response unit for NYC). His previous assignment was command of the NYG CERF Team, a Weapons of Mass Destruction Response Team; providing prompt and sustained mass casualty deliberate decontamination services.

Johnny W. Velez (MPA in Master of Public Administration in Emergency and Disaster Management, Metropolitan College of New York)

Adjunct Professor Velez is a paralegal supervisor in the New York City Law Department, and a veteran Air Force non-commissioned officer who supported aeromedical evacuation operations. He is a recipient of the Air Force Achievement Medal, the New York City Law Department Legal Assistant Achievement Award, and the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, USA Freedom Corps,& Corporation for National & Community Service award. His experiences in the legal and continuity of operations (COOP) aspects of emergency management began in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. The experience has led him to research business processes, and legal issues concerning legislation, occupational safety, civil rights , and the role of government during emergencies as well as the subsequent recovery. He is a certified trainer for Weapons of Mass Destruction Awareness and well versed in the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program. Currently, he is a candidate for his PhD. in the School of Public Service Leadership at Capella University.

Ernest B. Wheeler (BSN in Nursing, D'Youville College; MA in Nursing, New York University; MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management, Metropolitan College of New York)

Adjunct Professor Wheeler is a registered nurse professional and clinician with over 17 years of clinical expertise in medical-surgical nursing, mental health, pediatrics, with a strong concentration in geriatric nursing. He has served in hospital administration, mentoring, and teaching of undergraduate students in clinical areas throughout the metropolitan area. Currently, he serves as a traveling nurse educator who mentors students across the country for preparation of licensure. He has researched and written scholarly papers on the “Effects of Gait and Balance Training” on elderly populations and has written a master’s thesis on “Strategies for Creating Surge Capacity in Healthcare Organizations.” He plans to further his education by obtaining a doctoral degree in which his dissertation will be a continuation of his work on surge capacity.

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About this Program Course Offerings Meet the Faculty Letter from the Dean Study Abroad Component Constructive Action Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society Disaster Central Blog	Printable brochure Constructive Action Send this page to a friend Meet the Faculty for the MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management Ali Gheith (MS in Social Science, Long Island University) Professor Gheith joined Project Liberty immediately following the disastrous events of 9/11, where he outreached to union workers at ground zero, addressed the special needs of vulnerable population, and trained counselors on methods of providing culturally appropriate disaster mental health services to the diverse NYC communities. He conducted the first known research on NYC Muslim mental health needs and the role of the imams into the day-to-day lives of the American-Muslim communities. He’s an expert on international affairs, Islamic and Middle Eastern studies. In early 2003, Mr. Gheith joined the NYC DOHMH as a coordinator of Population Based Resilience. Professor Gheith responded to every major crisis since 9/11. Recently, he was assigned as regional coordinator for a citywide H1N1 vaccine campaign effort to inoculate New Yorkers. He is the author or co-author of journal articles and abstracts. He is an extremely active figure in a number of professional organizations, and a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable in our communities. Professor Gheith is the recipient of the NYC distinguished Service Award for his work with community and faith leaders across New York City. Dr. Roberto Belmar (Guest Lecturer and EDM Program Advisor) robrblm@aol.com Dr. Belmar is a pediatrician and medical school professor who served as health commissioner and director of public health emergency response to pandemic influenza for the city of Santiago, Chile. Following the most recent earthquake in Chile, Dr. Belmar was the Incident Commander responsible for restoring the public health systems in Chile. He started his teaching career in community medicine in Chile during the 1960s. Dr. Belmar helped lead the Chilean National Health Service, but his career was cut short when he was forced to flee Chile when the democratically elected president of Chile, was assassinated in a 1973 military coup. With the assistance of Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, Belmar and his family settled in New York and joined the Department of Social Medicine as deputy chair of social medicine. He became a key force in the development of the Community Health Participation Program, which trained local residents as community health workers. Tom Carey (MS in Criminal Justice and Security Administration, Long Island University) Adjunct Professor Carey is a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom who obtained the rank of Sergeant Major in his 27 years of service. During his tour he served as both a committee member and advisor on security issues and operational issues for the Iraq Ministry of Defense complex in Baghdad, for Multi-National Force Iraq. He is also a twenty-three year (23) veteran of the New York City Police Department, serving in the capacity as the Course Manager for the Chief of Organized Crime’s Training Unit prior to his retirement. He has obtained both professional and academic training through many organizations to include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, The United States Army Military Police School’s Special Reaction Team Course, NYPD Bomb Squad and Counter Terrorism Bureau. Carey also is a graduate of Long Island University at C.W. Post, where he received a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Security Administration. George W. Contreras (MS in Hospital Administration, Iona College; MPH in Community Health Education, Hunter College; PhD (candidate), Columbia University) Adjunct Professor Contreras serves as the president and chief executive officer of The GWC Group, an international emergency management consulting firm. He is former director of Emergency Management for New York University Medical Center. Contreras was the senior emergency manager in the Bureau of Emergency Management at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. He served as adjunct faculty at New York University, New York Medical College and Hunter College. He's a frequent lecturer at national and international conferences regarding EMS, public health, emergency and disaster management issues. He works as a New York City paramedic and instructor at various hospital-based EMS departments. Ken Curtin (Guest Lecturer and EDM Program Advisor) ken.curtin@dhs.gov Mr. Curtin is the voluntary agency liaison for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region II-New York/New Jersey. He has more than 38 years of experience in disaster and emergency human service. Curtin also has served on assignments in 24 states and 30 foreign countries. As such, he has held staff positions with International Rescue Committee as Program Officer for Easter Africa, Christian Children’s Fund as Director of Emergency Programs, Catholic Relief Services as an international disaster and refugee program coordinator and three different times for American Red Cross Disaster Services in New York City. He has a wide range of human services experience in domestic and international disaster relief including wars, earthquakes, floods, refugee programs, urban disasters and famines. Donald Decker (MSW, Fordham University) Adjunct Professor Decker is a licensed clinical social worker and credentialed alcohol and substance abuse counselor with 27 years of experience as a clinician and administrator. For the past 8 years he has focused on mental health disaster preparedness and response. In 2001 he joined the federally funded Project Liberty program in NYC as a Senior Program Consultant Supervisor, where he provided technical assistance to numerous programs in the design and implementation of their outreach, crisis counseling and educational programs. In that capacity, he coordinated with a team of experts that planned and administered the city's mental health response to all 9/11 and flight 587 anniversaries and memorials. He served as the Hospital Coordinator at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's were he coordinated training for all NYC hospital employees on mental health risk communication and reviewed all of New York City's hospital disaster plans .He currently serves as the Emergency Response Coordinator for the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's; Office of Mental Health Disaster Preparedness and Response where he is responsible for developing systems and protocols for responding to the psychological sequelae of disasters and public health emergencies. Seth Golbey (Guest Lecturer and EDM Program Advisor) golbeys@nyredcross.org Seth Golbey is Director of Planning and External Relations for the American Red Cross in Greater New York. His responsibilities include liaison with government agencies, NGOs, and CBOs in disaster planning and response. He was formerly a member of the preparedness staff at Red Cross national headquarters in Washington, DC, where he collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in developing public health emergency preparedness education strategies. He is a subject matter expert in government operations on the Red Cross’s national disaster response team with which he has deployed regularly to large-scale disasters. Seth has participated in the development of numerous disaster response plans for New York City. He is secretary of NYC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. David Longshore (BA, Amherst College; MA in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense), Naval Postgraduate School) Adjunct Professor Longshore served as Director of Special Programs at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management (NYCOEM) between 2000 and 2004. He was among the first responders to the World Trade Center disaster, and played an integral role in coordinating the City’s response to numerous emergencies, including the crash of American Airlines Flight 587, the 2001anthrax attack, and the 2003 Northeastern Blackout. A veteran of the U.S. Navy and the author of several books, plays, and short stories, including the Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones (1998; Second Edition, 2000; Third Edition, 2007). Mick Maurer is the Director, Disaster Training & Exercises at the American Red Cross in Greater New York. Prior to these duties, Maurer was a researcher and co-investigator at the NYU Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST) from 1999-2001 and an instructor for Center for Management of the Division of Business and Legal Studies of the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) in the Business Continuity & Homeland Security certificate program. Maurer was a founder and the first director of the Metropolitan College of New York's Master of Public Administration in Emergency and Disaster Management. Gerard McCarty (BA in Criminal Justice, John Jay College; MPA in Operations, John Jay College) Adjunct Professor McCarty currently serves as general manager for emergency management at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Before joining the Port Authority in 2004, McCarty served as a New York City police officer in the uniform, as well as undercover division. In 1995, he joined the New York City Mayor’s Office of Operations as the First Deputy Mayor’s representative to the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), then a unit within the NYPD, and supervised the transfer of OEM to an independent organization within the Mayor’s Office to include the recruitment of a new director and the selection of hiring of staff. After joining the newly revitalized OEM as Chief of Staff, McCarty was promoted to Deputy Director of Field Operations, and later to Deputy Director for Special Operations. During this time, he's was deployed by the city to disaster sites across the globe, including the relief efforts to Italy following the earthquakes in 1996; Kosovo at the conclusion of NATO actions and the Dominican republic in the wake of Hurricane George. In 1999, he joined FEMA, where he coordinated preparedness and disaster relief to events around the world, including the World Trade Center disaster, where he served as deputy operations section chief. McCarty is a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and a master’s degree in Public Administration. Lorraine Motola (MS in Protection Management, John Jay College of Criminal) Professor Motola has over 27 years of NYC local government experience and is currently the Director of Logistics & Emergency Preparedness for the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. She also held the position of Corporate Security Manager at Polo Ralph Lauren headquarters. Previously, she worked at NYC Department of Transportation, for nineteen (19) years and for the last five (5) was the Director of Facility Security. Professor Motola joined the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation in 1979 as an original Urban Park Ranger, and was later promoted to the position of Manhattan Borough Supervisor, based in Central Park. In May, 2007, she earned a Master of Science degree in Protection Management, with a concentration in Emergency Management, from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Jessica O'Neill (MS in Social Sciences, University of Chicago; MS in Criminal Justice, John Jay College) Adjunct Professor O'Neill currently is the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s pandemic influenza coordinator. She specializes in teaching sociological issues related to disaster. O’Neill is a graduate of the University of Chicago and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she received a master's degree in social sciences and a master's degree in criminal justice, respectively. Susamma Seeley (BS, John Jay College of Criminal; MPA, Metropolitan College of New York) sseeley@ccbq.org Susamma Seeley, MPA (Guest Lecturer) is the Director of Emergency Management for Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens (CCBQ), the social service arm of the Diocese of Brooklyn. As the largest Catholic Charities in the United States, CCBQ operates over 150 programs in over 100 sites throughout the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. Susamma is also a member of the Catholic Charities USA National Disaster Response Team and has deployed to assist with the response after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. Susamma is a veteran of the U.S. Army and has spent time serving overseas in Germany as well as the National Desert Training Center (NTC) in Fort Irwin, California. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a Bachelor’s in Criminology. Susamma is a Past-President of the MCNY student chapter of the International Association of Emergency Managers and graduated with honors from the MCNY Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program. She is an active member of the International Association of Emergency Managers and serves on many committees throughout the country. Robert Patterson (BBA, Pace University; MBA, Baruch College) Adjunct Professor Patterson currently serves as the Assistant Director of Information Technology for a major NYC Hospital Network. Prior to his current position, he was a Management Consultant supporting consequence management initiatives for the NYC Department of Health, including the NYC Tuberculosis Epidemic, the Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak, and the recent West Nile Virus outbreak. Professor Patterson is also a commissioned officer in the New York State Guard, serving as a Battalion Commander. He is also the Liaison Officer and Officer-in-Charge of the NYG Component of Joint Task Force-Empire Shield’s surge force (the military Homeland Security and disaster response unit for NYC). His previous assignment was command of the NYG CERF Team, a Weapons of Mass Destruction Response Team; providing prompt and sustained mass casualty deliberate decontamination services. Johnny W. Velez (MPA in Master of Public Administration in Emergency and Disaster Management, Metropolitan College of New York) Adjunct Professor Velez is a paralegal supervisor in the New York City Law Department, and a veteran Air Force non-commissioned officer who supported aeromedical evacuation operations. He is a recipient of the Air Force Achievement Medal, the New York City Law Department Legal Assistant Achievement Award, and the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, USA Freedom Corps,& Corporation for National & Community Service award. His experiences in the legal and continuity of operations (COOP) aspects of emergency management began in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. The experience has led him to research business processes, and legal issues concerning legislation, occupational safety, civil rights , and the role of government during emergencies as well as the subsequent recovery. He is a certified trainer for Weapons of Mass Destruction Awareness and well versed in the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program. Currently, he is a candidate for his PhD. in the School of Public Service Leadership at Capella University. Ernest B. Wheeler (BSN in Nursing, D'Youville College; MA in Nursing, New York University; MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management, Metropolitan College of New York) Adjunct Professor Wheeler is a registered nurse professional and clinician with over 17 years of clinical expertise in medical-surgical nursing, mental health, pediatrics, with a strong concentration in geriatric nursing. He has served in hospital administration, mentoring, and teaching of undergraduate students in clinical areas throughout the metropolitan area. Currently, he serves as a traveling nurse educator who mentors students across the country for preparation of licensure. He has researched and written scholarly papers on the “Effects of Gait and Balance Training” on elderly populations and has written a master’s thesis on “Strategies for Creating Surge Capacity in Healthcare Organizations.” He plans to further his education by obtaining a doctoral degree in which his dissertation will be a continuation of his work on surge capacity. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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