Bill Gentry, MPA

About

Mr. Gentry worked for the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management for more than 15 years before coming to UNC in 2005, where he now directs the Department of Health Policy and Management Community Preparedness and Disaster Management (CPDM) certificate program. The certificate program ensures linkages between disaster management / public health preparedness education and practice are sustained through communication, collaboration and healthy local partnerships.

He also consults with local health departments and first-responder personnel in countries as diverse as Botswana and Moldova.

Mr. Gentry has participated in the North Carolina – Moldova Partnership for Peace Program since 1995 and has worked with the government of Botswana to assist in disaster preparedness planning.

Mr. Gentry was at the forefront of the State Animal Response Team (SART), formed in N.C. in response to 1999’s Hurricane Floyd. Floyd left more than three million domestic and farm animals dead, and Gentry was asked for help from a network that could save pets and other animals during disasters. This effort evolved into the larger one medicine / one health initiative across the country which he still participates in with the NC Department of Agriculture and the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine.

Bill Gentry in the Gillings News

Honors and Awards

The Ned Brooks Award for Public Service
2014, UNC-CH

National Honorary Rescuer Medal
2010, Country of Moldova

Certificate of Recognition for Improving School Safety
2010, Orange County Board of Education

Practice Activities and Interests

Academic program coordination, leadership education, Disaster Management / Response, Public Health Preparedness, Public Health / Disaster Exercise Facilitation, Hospital Preparedness, Veterinary/Animal Disaster Preparedness, One Health/One Medicine Activities, EMS Administration and Hospital Disaster Management, Public Health Informatics, Partnership for Peace Moldova/Botswana Coordination

• Health administration
• Health policy
• Public health leadership
• Public Health preparedness / Disaster management
  

Key Publications

Liability Issues for North Carolina’s Emergency Managers. Norma Houston, Derrick Remer NC Division of Emergency Management.

Fundamentals of Human Resources in Healthcare. Myron Fottler, Bruce Fried, William Gentry Health Administration Press.

Preparedness and disaster response training for veterinary students: Literature review and description of the North Carolina State University credentialed veterinary responder program. Peter Cowen, Dianne Dunning, William Gentry, Michael Martin, Barrett Slenning, Jimmy Tickel (2009). Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 36(3), 317-330.

Education