Dr. Lewis earned her Medical degree from the University of the Health Sciences, The Chicago Medical School, and completed a residency in Family Practice at Naval Hospital Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida. She completed a two-year faculty development fellowship at Madigan Army Medical Center and Pacific Lutheran University with a Masters degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences.
In June 2003, Dr. Lewis retired from the United States Navy after 25 years of service. During the past six years, Dr. Lewis was Director Medical Policy World Wide Public Affairs and Policy for Pfizer, Inc.
Currently, she serves as Deputy Director, National Medical Association/Montague Cobb Research Institute. She also holds appointments in the Departments of Family Medicine and Medical and Clinical Psychology Uniformed Services University and is a member of the Editorial Board for Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. During her years of active military service, prior assignments and appointments included Deputy Vice President for Minority Affairs, Director of the University Health Center, Director Family Practice Clerkship, Vice Chair Department of Family Medicine, Associate Chair for Research Department of Family Medicine and teaching faculty at several residency-training programs. Her professional and research interests include health management and disease prevention, community outreach and engagement, weight management (obesity and overweight), health and health care disparities, health care policy, clinical trials and minority participation, cultural proficiency and women’s health care delivery. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in the areas of cultural competency, health and health care disparities.
During Dr. Lewis' tenure at the Uniformed Services University, she was awarded a Project EXPORT grant from the NIH Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities and served as Principal Investigator. In her position as Director Medical Policy she has employed this expertise in cultural competency and health care disparities to increase patients’ awareness of disease, treatment and management, increase physicians’ awareness of the special needs of minority populations, increase the number of minority health care professionals and increase access to quality health care through her work with multiple organizations to include the Black Ministers Council, Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), CBC Health Brain Trust, National Medical Association, National Black Caucus of State Legislators, NAACP, National Urban League, American Academy of Family Physicians, National Medical Association, National Hispanic Medical Association and the American Medical Association Commission To End Health Disparities.
Dr. Lewis is a member of several medical associations that include the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation Board of Trustees, National Medical Association (NMA), American Medical Association (AMA) and AMA NMA Commission to End Healthcare Disparities.
Dr. Lewis' military decorations include the Defense Meritorious Medal, Joint Service Commendation, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement, Joint Meritorious Unit, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy “E” (two awards), National Defense Medal, Humanitarian Service, Navy Sea Service Deployment, Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service with bronze star, Coast Guard Special Operations Service and the Navy Expert Pistol (with silver “E”).
Other significant honors include the W.E. Upjohn Award for Innovation (2007), Career Communications Group, Women of Color Emerald Honor for Medical Education Award (2003), Uniformed Services University, Office of Recruitment and Diversity, Mentor of the Year Award (1999-2000), Commendable Service Medal (2000) and Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians President’s Award (1999). She is one of five family physicians featured in the pamphlet “Is Our Health Care System Losing Its Balance?” sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians Research Initiative (1999), and one of nine family physicians profiled in the American Academy of Family Physicians 50th Anniversary Book, Caring for America – The Story of Family Practice (1998).
