S. Robert Hernandez

S. Robert Hernandez is a Distinguished Service Professor and Director of the UAB Executive Doctoral Program in Healthcare Leadership at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He holds roles including Senior Associate Chair for Global Health and founding Director of the International Executive Master of Science in Health Administration Program. His academic career spans over five decades, with leadership in healthcare management education and global health initiatives. He has held positions across multiple UAB schools, including the School of Medicine, School of Public Health, and Collat School of Business, though many are now retired organizations. His research focuses on organizational performance in healthcare settings, leveraging management theories to drive empirical studies.

Dr. Hernandez earned a Doctor of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1981), a Master of Hospital Health Administration from UAB (1971), and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Chemistry from the University of Alabama (1969).

His professional service includes roles such as past Chair of the Health Care Management Division of the Academy of Management and Chair of the EURAM Healthcare Management Research Track since 2008. He has served globally, including as Visiting Professor at the American University of Armenia and advisor to the International Hospital Federation on healthcare workforce professionalization. His editorial roles include Associate Editor of Health Services Management Research.

Key awards include the Joseph Volker Outstanding Faculty Award (UAB), Excellence in Teaching Award (Academy of Management), and Filerman Prize (AUPHA). His teaching focuses on strategic management and global healthcare systems, mentoring doctoral students in healthcare leadership. Current courses include Strategic Management Theory and Research and Dissertation Research in the Executive Doctoral Program.

He leads initiatives in global health equity, healthcare policy, and organizational performance optimization, with ongoing collaborations in Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine. His research spans healthcare finance, leadership competencies, and international medical travel dynamics.