Dr. Russell L. Bennett, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S., RN, NEA-BC, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Management and Coordinator of the Doctor of Public Health Program in the School of Public Health at Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi, USA. Dr. Bennett received both his Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1979 and 1983, respectively; and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration with a focus in Program Management/Healthcare Administration in 2004 and a Master of Public Health in 2011 with a focus in Health Policy & Administration from Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi, USA. He has over 25 years of clinical, programmatic, and administrative experiences in the management of acute, emergency, ambulatory, and critical care services in for-profit and not-for-profit healthcare organizations. Dr. Bennett received two Governor Appointments with the Mississippi State Department of Health, State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council and State Mental Health Advisory Council in Mississippi.

Further, Dr. Bennett completed a Minority Research Fellowship at Pittsburg University’s School of Public Health, Pittsburg, PA specializing in minority health and health disparity issues. He has conducted research in the areas of Health Service Management, Disaster Preparedness, HIV/AIDS Among African-American Populations, and Health Disparity Issues Among Minorities. Dr. Bennett is associated with a number of funded research activities, including the National Institutes of Health EXPORT grant housed in the Center of Excellence in Minority Health at Jackson State University’s School of Public Health and served as Co-Investigator in collaboration with Morehouse School of Medicine, studying the Effects of Hurricane Katrina on Healthcare Services in Mississippi and Louisiana. Dr. Bennett has authored and published a number of articles and abstracts in refereed journals and presented at national and international conferences.