Dr. Joelle Simpson is the Medical Director for Emergency Preparedness at Children's National Health System. In this role, Joelle provides strategic leadership for Children's National's disaster preparedness, response, and community outreach efforts. She is the Program Director for the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) State Partnership program in Washington DC working on a current national project to improve the everyday “pediatric readiness” of local emergency departments. She is also an appointed member of the DC Mayor's Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council for DC serving as a pediatric advocate in the development of prehospital policies and protocols.
Dr. Simpson also founded the Pediatric Medical Reserve Corp of DC which provides specialized pediatric support services to the DC community in preparation for, response to, and recovery from disaster, pandemic, and mass-casualty events involving children and families. On a regional level she participates in the National Capital Region planning for pediatric surge and disaster response. Locally, she represents Children’s National at the DC Department of Health – Health and Medical Coalition which coordinates multiple agencies and organizations around emergency preparedness for Washington DC. She serves on the pediatric emergency medicine and disaster committees for the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians.
