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Russell J. Davis, D.P.A, M.A.P.T.

Dr. Davis is the co-founder of two organizations focused on pursuing the elimination of health status disparities among racial and ethnic groups and the achievement of the goal of 100% access to health care for all U.S. residents.  Summit Health Institute for Research and Education (SHIRE) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, while Capitol City C.O.R.F., Inc. has the flexibility afforded to for-profit corporations.  Both are predicated on the premise that community empowerment is fundamental to producing the individual and group changes in lifestyle behaviors that are the ultimate hope for achieving the goals of zero disparities and 100% access as espoused by Healthy People 2010.

Dr. Davis has been providing quality health care for nearly four decades.  He spearheaded the creation of the multi-disciplinary Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the College of Allied Health Professions at Howard University Health Center from 1959 to 1976; and he led the development of a hybrid HMO/Community Health Center located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, from 1976 to 1981.  Dr. Davis is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University; he earned his M.A. plus Certificate/PT from New York University and his D.P.A. from George Washington University. As president of SHIRE, Dr. Davis has engaged in areas of investigation that relate to cultural competence, equitable health access, the cost-effectiveness of health promotion, and the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities through community empowerment.  These initiatives have been funded by the U.S. Office of Minority Health, foundations, and corporate entities.