In the 1980s, Mr. Wilkerson practiced corporate law with a large Dallas law firm. During this time, he also served on the city council and as mayor pro tem of his community of Coppell, Texas.

In 1990, Mr. Wilkerson became the general counsel of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Three years later, he became the national CEO of MADD and led the organization during the period of its greatest effectiveness in reducing drunk driving deaths, assisting victims of this violent crime, and preventing underage drinking.

He left MADD to become the executive director of ACEP. Mr. Wilkerson is an advocate at heart. He has met with several presidents and many governors, senators, and members of Congress. He is gratified that ACEP has seen growth in its media advocacy, legislative advocacy, and all parts of its operation during his tenure.

Mr. Wilkerson feels fortunate to have helped make a difference in advancing emergency care. Being part of the emergency medicine family has been the most enjoyable period of his 40-year career.

He is thankful to God for the blessings and opportunities he has had. In retirement, he looks forward to spending more time with his family, teaching adult Bible classes at his church, continuing to serve on the boards of a few philanthropic organizations, and traveling for pleasure to some exotic places.

Innovative Change in Practice Management Award

Rahul Sharma, MD, MBA, FACEP

Dr. Sharma is professor and chair of the department of emergency medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. He is also the emergency physician in chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. In addition, he serves as chief and medical director for the NewYork-Presbyterian EMS enterprise and in several other executive roles, including as a member of the New York State Board for Medicine and as president of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Medical Board.

Dr. Sharma is a national leader in the fields of emergency medicine, health care operations, telemedicine/virtual health care, and innovation. Since 2016, he has founded and launched several telemedicine programs including the award-winning Emergency Department Telehealth Express Care and the Center for Virtual Care. Most recently, he led efforts to transform emergency medicine health care delivery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He has been an invited guest speaker at several national and international programs, including the National Academy of Medicine. Dr. Sharma is the recipient of several awards, including Crain’s New York Business 2020 Notables in Health Care, ACEP’s National Faculty Teaching Award, and the 2017 Emergency Care Innovation of the Year Award.