Gerald Parker, DVM, PhD

Biography

Dr. Parker is the Associate Dean for Global One Health at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and in this role, he also serves as Campus Director for Global One Health at Texas A&M University.  He holds an appointment at the Bush School of Government Service as Director of the Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program at the Scowcroft Institute for International Affairs within the Bush School of Government & Public Service.   

Parker is a member of several advisory boards, including the Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response, ex officio member for the Bi-partisan Commission for Biodefense, and chairperson for the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity at the National Institutes of Health.  Dr. Parker also served as a senior for advisor for the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services from August 2020 to February 2021.  

Prior to his appointment to Texas A&M University, Dr. Parker held technical to executive leadership positions throughout 36 years of public service as a recognized defense and civilian interagency leader in biodefense, high consequence emerging infectious diseases, global health security and all-hazards public health/medical preparedness.  This included coordinating federal medical/public health responses to Hurricanes Katrina thru Alex, to the 2009 Pandemic and Haiti earthquake.  Dr. Parker’s service includes more than 26 years on active duty leading military medical research and development programs and organizations.  He is a former Commander and Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.  Dr. Parker held senior executive level positions at the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD), including serving as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at HHS, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense at DOD. 

Dr. Parker is a 2009 recipient of the Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service in 2013, and the Senator Melcher Leadership in Public Policy Award from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges in 2019. Dr. Parker graduated from Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.