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About
Jamla Rizek
DNP, MBA, RN, CEN, CPEN, NHDP-BC, NRP, FAAN, FAEN
About Jamla
Professional Background
Jamla Rizek, DNP, MBA, RN, CEN, CPEN, NHDP-BC, NRP, FAAN, FAEN, is a nationally recognized emergency and disaster nursing leader, healthcare executive, educator, editor, and speaker with more than two decades of experience in emergency care, disaster response, humanitarian operations, public health preparedness, and healthcare leadership.
Dr. Rizek’s work bridges frontline clinical expertise with executive-level strategy in high-consequence and resource-constrained environments. She has led and supported initiatives focused on disaster preparedness, workforce resilience, emergency response operations, infectious disease response, and health system readiness across domestic and international settings.
She currently serves as the Disaster Nursing Section Editor for the Journal of Emergency Nursing and Deputy Editor for Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM), contributing.
20+
Years of Experience
36k+
Students Enrolled
26+
Global Deployments
Academic and Editorial Leadership
Journal of Emergency Nursing
Disaster Nursing Section Editor
Leads one of the nation’s foremost disaster nursing editorial sections, advancing evidence-based scholarship, clinical innovation, and preparedness strategies that shape emergency nursing practice.
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Deputy Editor
Provides editorial leadership and peer review oversight for multidisciplinary research focused on disaster medicine, public health preparedness, crisis leadership, and global emergency response.
World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Supports international collaboration and strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening disaster health systems, emergency preparedness, humanitarian response, and global health resilience.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC)
ADJUNCT FACULTY
Educates and mentors healthcare professionals in disaster preparedness, crisis leadership, and emergency response through one of the nation’s leading academic medical institutions affiliated with Harvard Medical School.
Journal of Emergency Nursing
Disaster Nursing Section Editor
Leads the national disaster nursing section, curating and advancing evidence-based content that directly informs emergency nursing practice and disaster response.
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Deputy Editor
Supports editorial leadership and peer review for global research in disaster medicine and public health preparedness, ensuring rigor, relevance, and real-world application.
World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM)
Board Member
Contributes to global strategy and governance efforts to strengthen disaster medicine systems, policy development, and international collaboration.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC)
Faculty
Educates and mentors healthcare professionals at a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, with a focus on disaster leadership, preparedness, and response.
Work With Me
I partner with healthcare organizations, academic institutions, and emergency response teams to strengthen disaster preparedness, clinical readiness, and leadership capacity.
Areas of focus include:
- Disaster preparedness and response strategy
- Emergency nursing and trauma systems
- Public health emergency readiness
- Simulation and training development
- Speaking and expert consultation
If you’re looking to elevate your team’s readiness and response capability, let’s connect.
Who I Am
I am a disaster nurse, executive leader, and national voice in emergency and public health preparedness with over 20 years of frontline experience across emergency care, prehospital medicine, and disaster response.
My work spans clinical care, national deployments, academic leadership, and global collaboration, bridging the gap between bedside realities and system-level strategy.
I have deployed to large-scale public health emergencies, supported national response efforts, and worked in high-risk, resource-constrained environments where rapid decision-making and operational readiness directly impact outcomes.
Everything I do is grounded in one goal: helping healthcare systems and professionals perform at their best in high-stakes, high-pressure situations.
What I Do
I work at the intersection of disaster response, emergency nursing, and health system preparedness.
Through consulting, education, and speaking, I help organizations:
- Strengthen disaster preparedness and response frameworks
- Improve emergency and trauma care readiness
- Build resilient healthcare systems
- Enhance clinical decision-making under pressure
- Translate evidence into real-world practice
Whether supporting leadership teams, frontline clinicians, or academic institutions, my focus is always the same: practical, actionable strategies that work in real environments, not just on paper.
Experience that Sets Me Apart
My experience is not theoretical, it is built from real-world deployment, leadership, and clinical practice
From emergency departments to disaster zones, I have worked across the full spectrum of care, bringing a unique perspective that combines clinical excellence, operational leadership, and strategic insight.
This combination allows me to speak not only to what should happen, but what actually works when systems are stressed.
My experience is not theoretical, it is built from real-world deployment, leadership, and clinical practice
From emergency departments to disaster zones, I have worked across the full spectrum of care, bringing a unique perspective that combines clinical excellence, operational leadership, and strategic insight.
This combination allows me to speak not only to what should happen, but what actually works when systems are stressed.
Awards
Recognition & Honors
National awards recognizing leadership in disaster nursing and global health
Surgeon General's Award
Humanitarian Service and Global Health
Nurse Responder of the Year
National Recognition
Fellow, FAAN, FEAN
American Academy of Nursing
Let’s Strengthen Preparedness Together
Partner with Nurse Jamla to advance emergency preparedness, disaster response, healthcare leadership, and resilient systems of care through consulting, speaking, education, and strategic collaboration.