Dr. Downs is the inaugural chief diversity and community engagement officer at UVA Health, having joined the system in 2021. Since his arrival, he has worked with the department chairs of every UVA School of Medicine department to factor health equity goals into their annual department goals for the first time. He has spearheaded various initiatives, including establishing DEI improvement benchmarks and securing funding for mobile units that will bring care directly into communities to combat transportation or access issues. Under his leadership, UVA Health has earned several awards, including being named a 2024 Best Large Employers by Forbes and the top hospital in Virginia by US News & World Report in 2023.
