Kelli McCarthy, MPS, CEM, MEP, GA-CEM, EMHP
Clinical Assistant Professor
Kelli McCarthy is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) Institute for Disaster Management (IDM). She earned her bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Georgia, along with an interdisciplinary certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIS). She completed a master’s degree in GIS at the University of Maryland.
In her current role, Kelli serves as the professor of record for two graduate-level courses: Disaster Management for Public Health Professionals and Public Health Crises and Disaster Management. She integrates applied learning and real-world case studies into the graduate curriculum.
Beyond the classroom, Kelli plays a key role in designing and executing emergency preparedness exercises for healthcare facilities, coalitions, state agencies, and federal partners, supporting real-world readiness for complex disasters. She is also an Executive Team Member of the Southern Regional Disaster Response System (Region 4 RDHRS Site).
An experienced practitioner, Kelli holds multiple professional certifications, including the Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) designation from the International Association of Emergency Managers, the Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) certification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management Institute, the Georgia Certified Emergency Manager (GA-CEM) certification from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, the Emergency Management Healthcare Professional (EMHP) certification from the Georgia Department of Public Health. Her expertise spans incident command, exercise design, and large-scale crisis simulations, making her a respected leader in the field of disaster preparedness and response.
