PRESS RELEASE: The Lown Institute Elects Renowned Trauma Surgeon and Public Health Leader Selwyn O. Rogers, Jr. as Board Chairperson
Boston, MA — The Lown Institute, a nonpartisan think tank setting the standard for social responsibility in healthcare, announces the election of Selwyn O. Rogers, Jr. as chairperson of its board of directors. Dr. Rogers, a board member since 2023, assumes leadership as the Lown Institute expands its impact as a trusted leader in advancing a U.S. healthcare system that is affordable, effective, and just. He replaces Patrcia Gabow, MD, MACP, who served as chairperson for the past five years.
“Across the country, people are struggling to access care they can afford, and far too many are falling into medical debt as a result,” said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute. “Fixing a system this broken demands bold, evidence-based leadership, and Dr. Rogers will be a powerful advocate for the change we all want and need.”
Selwyn O. Rogers Jr., MD, MPH, FACS, is a widely respected surgeon and public health expert. As founding director of the University of Chicago Medicine Trauma Center, Dr. Rogers has built an interdisciplinary team of specialists to treat patients who suffer injury from life-threatening events. Additionally, as executive vice president for community health engagement, Dr. Rogers works with faculty across the University of Chicago as well as members of the community to develop multidisciplinary approaches to trauma care and health disparities.
He previously served as vice president and chief medical officer for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, chair of surgery at Temple University School of Medicine, and division chief of trauma, burns, and surgical critical care at Harvard Medical School. He was appointed an associate editor of the New England Journal of Medicine in 2023 and inducted into the National Academy of Medicine in 2025.
“Every day, I’m inspired by my patients and their families who—despite structural violence, despite the barriers—cooperate to strengthen their communities,” said Chairperson Rogers. “That resilience has instilled in me a kind of pathological optimism that I bring to the Lown Institute as we take on the hard work of fixing our broken healthcare system.”
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About the Lown Institute
The Lown Institute is an independent think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health. We envision a healthcare system focused on what’s best for people, like hospitals caring for those most in need, patients living without fear of financial distress, and health professionals finding joy in their roles. The Lown Hospitals Index is a signature project of the Institute and the first ranking to assess the social responsibility of U.S. hospitals, including measures like community investment, medical overuse, and CEO pay.
Contact
Aaron Toleos, Lown Institute, (978) 821-4620, atoleos@lowninstitute.org