Irwin Redlener

Dr. Irwin Redlener is president and co-founder, with singer/songwriter Paul Simon, of the Children’s Health Fund, a unique nonprofit organization dedicated to providing health care to disadvantaged children and families in the United States. Under his leadership, Children’s Health Fund has grown to become a national network of more than 50 mobile and fixed site pediatric clinics providing more than 250,000 health care encounters each year in 25 of the nation’s most medically underserved urban and rural communities. Dr. Redlener has assisted relief efforts- and provided critical evidence-based policy recommendations - around many of the most important U.S. disasters over the past two decades. He has been an advisor both on disaster policy, as well as health-related policy, to local, state and federal officials and agencies. From 1971-73 he directed a rural, VISTA-run health center in East Arkansas. Dr. Redlener also served as director of grants and medical director of USA for Africa and Hands Across America. In 1993, Dr. Redlener served as a member of the White House Task Force on Health Reform under President Clinton. From 1997 through 2003, Dr. Redlener also had a lead role in the development of the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, where he served as president and chief spokesperson. This hospital remains one of the most advanced and innovative facilities of its kind in the world. Dr. Redlener received his M.D. degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine, and pediatric training at Babies Hospital of the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, the University of Colorado Medical Center and the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Director, National Center for Disaster Preparedness Director, Program on Child Well-Being and Resilience The Earth Institute, Columbia University Professor of Health Policy & Management Professor of Pediatrics Columbia University Medical Center