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Mr. Donald A. Donahue, Director, National Security Health Policy Center

Mr. Donahue serves as the Executive Director of the National Security Health Policy Center. He comes to the Potomac Institute with a wealth of experience and a broad range of expertise in areas including healthcare operations, medical readiness, emergency preparedness and bioterrorism. With more than 27 years experience as a healthcare administrator in the military, government and private sectors, he is a recognized expert in medical and dental readiness and homeland security medical operations. Mr. Donahue applies an innovative approach to program development, operational analysis and marketing solutions.

Mr. Donahue is a former Vice President for Department of Defense Programs with Comprehensive Health Services, a national workforce health management firm. Prior to that, he served as a Vice President with Jefferson Consulting Group in Washington, D.C. where he advised and assisted clients on a wide range of healthcare and policy issues, focusing on operations, information technology and business development.

Mr. Donahue was formerly a Senior Vice President for Logistics Health, Inc. (LHI), a Wisconsin-based health services firm. Prior to joining LHI, Mr. Donahue served as the Deputy Surgeon for Policy and Fiscal Administration and the Medical Operations Officer for the Chief, Army Reserve. In this capacity, he was responsible for strategic planning, program development, and funding for medical operations within the Army Reserve and was the principal advisor for medical/dental readiness, policy, medical aspects of Homeland Security, and Bioterrorism issues. Mr. Donahue was a principal planner for the Department of Defense (DoD) anthrax and smallpox immunization programs. He authored the first Joint Forces Command model for medical response to domestic weapons of mass destruction incidents and natural disasters and created the Joint/Interagency Civil Support Training Center (JISCTC) at Fort Dix, NJ, designed to provide training to DoD, VA, and other Federal departments in medical aspects of homeland security and weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Donahue designed and established the Federal Strategic Health Alliance (FEDS_HEAL), a $100 million medical and dental readiness support system comprised of Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) and provide providers, serving 1.3 million Reserve Component members.

Mr. Donahue coordinated creation of the Annual Health Certificate Questionnaire/Health Assessment Longitudinal File, an all-services health assessment and data repository supporting DoD and VA medical systems and population health initiative. He initiated an electronic health record program in conjunction with Loma Linda VA Medical Center and the U.S. Army Aeromedical Center. Mr. Donahue conceptualized and began implementation of the organizational redesign of Army Reserve medical structure and creation of the Army Reserve Medical Command (AR-MEDCOM). He has served as Army Reserve principle for implementation of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and established Army Reserve Physician Assistant Training Program. A recognized expert in medical/dental readiness and homeland security medical operations, Mr. Donahue was a charter member of the DoD Reserve Health Summit, Reserve Medical Readiness and Integration Workgroup, and Dental Readiness Workgroup.

Recognition for programs established by Mr. Donahue include the Hammer Award for Reinventing Government and the Department of Veterans Affairs' Award for Contracting Excellence . In February 2004, Mr. Donahue was selected as one of Fast Company magazine's "Fast 50," recognizing innovators, entrepreneurs, and change agents. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, seven awards of the Army Commendation Medal, the Order of Military Medical Merit, the Expert Field Medical Badge, and numerous other awards and decorations.

Previous positions held by Mr. Donahue include Senior Marketing Manager for Merit Behavioral Care Corporation (now Magellan Health Services), a leading behavioral managed care company, emergency department administrator for two New York City hospitals, and corporate consultant for emergency department operations for New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the city's municipal hospital system. Mr. Donahue served as an Adjunct Professor for healthcare administration at the State University of New York Health Sciences Center in Brooklyn. He is currently a candidate for Doctor of Health Education (DHEd) at A.T. Still University.