Internationally recognized medical educator announces his retirement after 33 years of dedicated service

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS – LSU Health New Orleans announced today Dr. Juzar Ali, an award-winning clinical professor of medicine, is retiring after 33 years of dedicated service to medical education in Louisiana.  

In addition to his role as a pulmonary and critical care professor, Dr. Ali has received numerous teaching awards and has been consistently recognized as one of the Best Doctors in America.  He was awarded the Spirit of Charity award in 2022 for his academic, patient care, research, teaching and administration services to the Charity Hospital System.  

“Our educators are an integral part of the fabric of medical education across the state,” said LSU Health New Orleans Chancellor, Dr. Steve Nelson. “With 70% of the doctors practicing in Louisiana having trained at LSU Health, Dr. Ali’s immeasurable impact on physicians over the last 33 years will be felt for generations to come.”   

Throughout his career, Dr. Ali has practiced in Pakistan, India, Kenya, the United States and Turkey. He has worked nationally and internationally in the field of tuberculosis and has developed programs that contribute to the education of medical students, trainees, allied health professionals and the community. His clinical, academic and research interests include the diagnosis and management of tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease and related co-morbidities in pulmonary medicine, especially Bronchiectasis. 

Dr. Ali has been a visiting faculty to Vietnam under the US-Vietnam Education Fund Program funded by the U.S. Congress. His most recent focus was on developing a Mycobacterial Diseases Mentoring, Training & Research program at LSU Health New Orleans and creating a cell bank repository and registry database in collaboration with national and regional centers. 

“The LSU Health New Orleans community is incredibly grateful to have worked alongside Dr. Ali for so many years,” says LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine Interim Dean, Dr. Richard DiCarlo. “His deep commitment to advancing medicine for pulmonary diseases is valued and admired among the community, and his presence will be truly missed.” 

Dr. Ali will continue to be a prominent force in the medical community and is currently serving a four-year term on the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners where he works to protect and improve the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Louisiana through licensing, regulation, research, and discipline of physicians and allied health professionals.  

For more information about Dr. Ali or LSU Health New Orleans, visit lsuhsc.edu.  

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About LSU Health New Orleans  
LSU Health New Orleans educates Louisiana's health care professionals. The state's health sciences university leader, LSU Health New Orleans includes a School of Medicine with campuses in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, the state's only School of Dentistry, Louisiana's only public School of Public Health, and Schools of Allied Health Professions, Nursing, and Graduate Studies. LSU Health New Orleans faculty take care of patients in public and private hospitals and clinics throughout the region. In the vanguard of biosciences research, the LSU Health New Orleans research enterprise generates jobs and enormous annual economic impact. LSU Health New Orleans faculty have made lifesaving discoveries and continue to work to prevent, advance treatment or cure disease.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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