Dr. Cunningham received her medical degree and completed an emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati. She completed the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, Women and Power, and Advanced Crisis Leadership: Innovative Strategies and Designs programs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education and the Homeland Security Executive Leadership Program at The Naval Postgraduate School & The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security. She is the 2012 recipient of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine’s James Keaney Leadership Award, is the co-principal investigator for the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines project, and served two terms on the National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC). Dr. Cunningham was appointed to the Executive Steering Committee of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate’s First Responder Resource Group and serves on multiple organizational boards including the Journal of EMS (JEMS), the Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care, Eversight, the Tri-C Jazzfest, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.