Dr. Allen Nelson Lewis, Jr., Named Dean of the School of Health Professions at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Nov 17, 2015
Brooklyn, NY – Allen Nelson Lewis, Jr., PhD, has been named dean of the School of Health Professions at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, it was announced by John F. Williams, Jr., MD, EdD, MPH, FCCM, president of SUNY Downstate. Dr. Lewis assumes his responsibilities as dean in January 2016.
In making the announcement, President Williams said, “Dr. Lewis has a unique and viable vision for the College that extends well beyond the traditional status quo to include taking the College to the next level of excellence. He is a strategic and critical thinker with a strong background in program administration, as well as an in-depth knowledge of how to empirically measure and improve programmatic success.”
SUNY Downstate’s School of Health Professions is dedicated to educating the next generation of health professionals in diagnostic medical imaging, medical informatics, midwifery, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and physician assistant practice.
Dr. Lewis most recently has been department head, Department of Health Sciences, at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. There he has had dean-level responsibility supervising 47 full-time faculty and staff members with responsibility for eight academic programs, including physician assistant services, occupational therapy, health services administration, dietetics, athletic training, health studies, public health education, and health assessment and promotion, training 1800 undergraduate and graduate students, and managing an annual budget of $5 million.
As a researcher, Dr. Lewis has published more than 65 refereed journal articles, book chapters, a book, and other works. He has conducted over 130 (invited and refereed) international, national, regional, statewide, and local presentations. He has ample experience as a principal investigator, co-investigator, and program evaluator for funded research of over $15.5 million
Dr. Lewis received his Bachelor’s degree in Rhetoric and Communication Studies and African-American and African Studies from the University of Virginia; a Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University; and a PhD in Education (concentration: Leadership/Health Services Research) from Virginia Commonwealth University.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.