Leslie F. Davidson, Ph.D., OT/L, FAOTA, was appointed to serve as the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) chair of the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership (CRL), April 2016. As the new chair, Davidson leads a department serving as home to more than 60 faculty members and supports the educational pursuits of approximately 600 students — most of whom are distance education students.
Davidson oversees nearly 20 undergraduate and graduate academic programs geared toward professionals working in the health sciences and health care fields. Currently, CRL offers programs in clinical and translational research; clinical research administration; regulatory affairs; clinical management and leadership; emergency medical services; health care quality; health intervention and disaster response; occupational therapy; and translational health sciences. Under Davidson’s leadership, the department will continue to integrate research and education to develop improved models for clinical and translational research and the delivery of health care, and it will work to influence policy change.
Davidson joins GW from Shenandoah University, where she served as the director and associate professor of the Division of Occupational Therapy. She also served as an adjunct professor in the SMHS Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program.
