Mr. Bliss holds a BA in Psychology from La Sierra University and is an alumnus of Loma Linda University School of Public Health where he received his MPH in Global Health and received graduate certificates in health geoinformatics (GIS for public health) and humanitarian assistance. Since the mid 90s, he has been involved in international service delivery and development work in the Pacific Islands, Central America, and East Africa. A faculty member in both the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and in Global Health at LLU, his commitment to culturally cognizant public health practice is evident in both his local and internationally focused activities. Mr. Bliss currently serves as the Director of LLU’s Office of Public Health Practice as well as Director for the LLU Center for Public Health Preparedness, one of 27 Centers funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With his team of public health preparedness professionals, over the past 5 years Mr. Bliss has developed and administered specialized and technical training programs on pandemic H5N1 (and more recently H1N1) planning and preparedness to State and local health departments, Tribal nations, faith-based and community organizations and directly to communities throughout the western U.S., Hawaii, and to island nations of the Pacific Rim.