Ali Gheith Named Director of Emergency and Disaster Management Programs

Please join the MCNY Community in congratulating Ali Gheith, CEM, MEP, ISO! Professor Gheith has been named
Director of Undergraduate, Graduate and Online programs in Emergency and Disaster Management in the School for Public Affairs and Administration.

Gheith began his professional journey as an Information Officer at the United Nations in New York. In early 2003, he transitioned to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where he served as Director of Population-Based Resilience. In this role, he coordinated disaster mental health training for city-wide mental health responders, responding to all major crises in New York since September 11th.

In July 2016, Gheith was appointed Director of the Office of Community Resilience. Here, he acted as the designated Incident Command System (ICS) and Continuity of Operations (COOP) Liaison for the Division of Mental Hygiene, ensuring seamless integration with the Office of Emergency Planning and Response. With over 30 years of experience working with trauma survivors, Gheith has become a sought-after international speaker on trauma-informed care.

Before joining the NYC Health Department, Gheith worked at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute as a Research Project Director, leading studies on early psychosis, drug use, homelessness among single adults, mental illness, and service needs. His expertise in these areas laid the groundwork for his future public health and emergency management endeavors.

In April 2020, Gheith joined Hagerty Consulting’s Response Division, providing critical support during the COVID-19 pandemic. His qualifications include being a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) through IAEM, a FEMA-certified Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP), a certified Lead Auditor by the Business Continuity Institute (BCI), a professional Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Psychological First Aid (PFA) trainer, and a certified QPR Gatekeeper instructor.

Gheith’s work extends beyond the United States. He collaborated with the Metropolitan City of Venice to prioritize resilience initiatives for climate-related disasters, identifying robust strategies for future scenarios. He is recognized as an expert in developing community resilience and culturally appropriate awareness training workshops for first responders, enabling them to provide effective services to diverse communities.

Gheith has also dedicated his efforts to providing mental health support for asylum seekers and new refugees. He continues to work with international relief organizations, offering trauma-informed disaster mental health services to victims and first responders. For his outstanding contributions, Gheith has received the NYC Distinguished Service Award for his work with community and faith leaders across New York City, multiple Proclamations and Citations from the Mayor’s office, and recognition from the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office for his work in emergency management and public mental health education.

Currently, Gheith is a visiting professor of emergency and disaster management at the University of Malaga in Spain, where he continues to share his extensive knowledge and experience with the next generation of emergency management professionals.