Richard A. Catherina, M.D., is the Senior Medical Officer of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  In this role Dr. Catherina is the principal medical consultant to the NDMS Director and serves as subject matter expert for multiple programs within the NDMS portfolio, including force health protection, operational medicine, aeromedical evacuation, infection control, credentialing and privileging, and clinical quality management.  A graduate of Muhlenberg College, he is a former Naval Aviator who transitioned to the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, where he practiced primary care, occupational, and hospital medicine before retiring from active duty as a Senior Medical Officer with the U.S. Marine Corps Chemical Biological Incident Response Force.  Dr. Catherina received his medical doctorate from the Uniformed Services University F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.