Gillings School Directory
Lisa M. Koonin, DrPH, MN, MPH
Lisa M. Koonin, DrPH, MN, MPH
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Health Policy and Management
Dr. Lisa Koonin is the Founder of Health Preparedness Partners, LLC, a company that helps businesses, health departments, healthcare facilities, and other organizations prepare for a health emergency to protect their organization, workforce, customers, and communities. She previously served in a number of leadership positions during a 30+ year career with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During that time, she led the development of national preparedness plans and policies, led and conducted large-format exercises, and consulted with businesses, state and local governments, healthcare facilities, non-governmental organizations, academia, and ministries of health around the world, to improve emergency preparedness. Dr. Koonin served as a leader in multiple national and international health emergency responses while at CDC, including the 2016 Zika response, 2014-2015 Ebola response, 2013 H7N9 avian influenza outbreak in China, 2009 - 2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic, 2005 Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, and the 2005 Marburg virus outbreak in Africa.
Dr. Koonin’s focus is to improve national response to future pandemic emergencies by identifying and tackling complex preparedness issues, establishing mutually beneficial public-private partnerships, and developing new strategies, tools, and capabilities. Dr. Koonin is a frequent lecturer at national and international conferences on pandemic and infectious disease preparedness and response, and has published more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications on an array of public health and preparedness topics. Dr. Koonin has experience as a family nurse practitioner and epidemiologist. She earned master of nursing and master of public health degrees from Emory University and a doctorate in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Education
BSN, Nursing, Western Carolina University, 1983
MPH, Epidemiology, Emory University, 1986
MN, Nursing, Emory University, 1986
DrPH, Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2013
