Dr. Richard Ricciardi is a Professor, Associate Dean, and the Executive Director of the Center for Health Policy and Media Engagement at The George Washington School of Nursing. Before his tenure at GW, Dr. Ricciardi served as the Director of the Division of Practice Improvement and as the Senior Advisor for Nursing at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality within the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Ricciardi served on active duty in the Army for 31 years and his most recent assignment was in 2020 serving as the Medical Director of COVID-19 Operations and Public Health Preparedness at Fort Leonard Wood Army Base in Missouri.  Dr. Ricciardi also had the privilege of serving as president of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Alongside these roles, Dr. Ricciardi continues to offer primary care services as a nurse practitioner at Mercy Health Clinic, focusing on uninsured and underserved communities.