Diversity Overview
The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is led by Dr. Tracy M. Downs and a team of professionals dedicated to cultivating a community that embraces, values, celebrates diversity and creates an engaging, equitable environment where students, faculty, trainees and staff can prosper.
Tracy M. Downs, MD, Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Tracy M. Downs, MD, FACS, is the inaugural Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the School of Medicine. He is also the Community Engagement and Health Outcomes Officer for UVA Health. In these roles, he coordinates and aligns diversity efforts across our mission areas of education, clinical, research, and community. Dr. Downs has oversight of all aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the SOM, including the Office of Diversity and all DEI efforts among the different departments and centers.
Dr. Downs came to UVA from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, where he was Associate Dean for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and Professor of Urologic Oncology. At UW, Dr. Downs played an instrumental role in overseeing the recruitment of and medical education support programs for individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds underrepresented in medicine. Dr. Downs earned his medical degree from the University of California San Diego, completed his residency at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, and completed a fellowship at the University of California at San Francisco. He earned his undergraduate degree from California Lutheran University.
Diversity Consortium
The UVA Diversity Consortium is an advisory body that recommends ways to initiate, maintain and improve programs, policies, and processes that support a culture of equality, inclusion, fairness, and the value all individuals. These efforts touch upon all stakeholders in the School of Medicine, including students, Graduate Medical Education trainees, faculty, staff, patients and community. The specific goals of the Diversity Consortium are informed by the School Diversity Strategic Plan.
The Diversity Consortium’s recommendations are conveyed to the Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee composed of the School of Medicine Dean, Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development, Senior Associate Dean for Education, Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Director of the Summer Medical Leadership Program, and Chair of the Committee on Women. The Diversity Consortium consists of leadership, representative members, ex officio members, and administrative staff, as follows:
The chair is the Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. A vice chair is elected by a majority vote of the Diversity Consortium.
Diversity Consortium Chair
Tracy M. Downs, MD, FACS
Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Community Engagement and Health Outcomes Officer for UVA Health
Diversity Consortium Vice Chair
Gregory Townsend, MD
Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion
Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health
The senior associate dean for faculty affairs and faculty development, the senior associate dean for education, the associate dean for diversity and inclusion, a dean from the Regional Campus (designated by the dean of the School), and the University vice president and chief officer for diversity, equity, inclusion and community partnerships serve as voting ex officio members. In addition, a fourth-year medical student serves as an ex officio member; this student is a representative from School of Medicine diversity and inclusion student organizations.
Meg Keeley, MD Senior Associate Dean for Education
Susan Pollart, MD Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development; Ruth E. Murdaugh Professor of Family Medicine
Craig Cheifetz, MD Associate Dean for Education for the Regional Campus
Kevin McDonald, JD, PhD Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Partnerships
The Diversity Consortium consists of individuals who represent students, residents, faculty, and staff throughout the Health System. The Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion solicits nominations from department chairs and the faculty at large and recommends members to the Dean for appointment. A minimum of 20 and a maximum of 30 voting members are appointed by the Dean, in consultation with the Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development, and the Senior Associate Dean for Education, for three-year terms, which may be renewed once. A member who has served two terms may be reappointed after rotating off of the Diversity Consortium for a full year. Student and Graduate Medical Education trainees may serve for less than three years.
Janet Cross, PhD; Assistant Dean, Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program; Associate Professor, Pathology
Nassima Ait-Daoud Tiouririne, MD Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences
Laurie Archbald-Pannone, MD Dean of Dunglison College, Associate Professor of Medicine
Lois Davis, UVA SNMA
Diane Farineau Director of Graduate Medical Education
Martha Getachew, UVA SNMA
Myron Gibert, BIMS Graduate Student
Rose Gonzalez, MD Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Max Luna, MD Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine
Carol Manning, PhD Professor of Neurology
Allison Martin, MD Chief Resident
Gabrielle Marzani, MD Assistant Dean for Admissions; Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences
Jennifer Penberthy, PhD Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences
Shikha Prasad, MD Pediatrics
Jose Javier Provencio, MD Professor of Neurology
Dana Redick, MD Dean of Pinn College, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Preston Reynolds, MD Professor of Medicine
Nina Solenski, MD Associate Professor of Neurology
Souraya Torbey, MD Resident
Michael D. Williams, MD Associate Professor of Surgery; Director of Center for Health Policy
Jeanne Young, MD Assistant Professor of Dermatology
Diversity Consortium meetings are held monthly and as often as necessary to carry out its missions assuming an agenda to be discussed. The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Administrative Generalist keep minutes and works with the Diversity Consortium Chair to set and distribute the meeting agenda, and to inform members of meeting dates, times and locations.
HEED Award
The University of Virginia School of Medicine has been awarded the Insight Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for the past 12 years. This award recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. It measures an institution’s level of achievement and intensity of commitment in regard to broadening diversity and inclusion on campus through initiatives, programs and outreach; student recruitment, retention, and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff.
