NEW YORK CITY, FEBRUARY 12, 2008—Michael V. Drake, M.D., chancellor of the University of California, Irvine (UCI), has been elected to the Commonwealth Fund Board of Directors. His membership on the Board will take effect in April 2008.
Dr. Drake has served as chancellor of UCI since 2005. During his tenure there, he has overseen record growth in undergraduate enrollment, strengthened UCI's connection with the local community, and led initiatives including building a new hospital and the UC Irvine Medical Center, developing a new law school, and launching new programs in nursing, pharmaceutical sciences, and public health. Prior to his arrival at UCI, Dr. Drake served as the vice president for health affairs for the University of California, overseeing education and research activities at all of the University of California's 15 health sciences schools.
"Dr. Drake comes to the Commonwealth Fund at a critical time, as health care reform is a leading issue among the American public and Presidential candidates," said Board Chair James R. Tallon, Jr. "His experience in managing academic health centers and his long-standing commitment to promoting equality in health care will be important additions to the Board as health care reform is likely to continue to be debated among providers, policymakers, and the public."
Prior to his position overseeing health affairs at UC, Dr. Drake was Steven P. Shearing Professor of Ophthalmology and senior associate dean at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine, his alma mater. Dr. Drake has written dozens of scholarly article and chapters and co-authored four textbooks. Among other honors, he received the Herbert W. Nickens Award from the American Association of Medical Colleges in 2004, recognizing career-long efforts to promote social justice through medical education.
"We are very fortunate to have Dr. Drake join the Board," said Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis. "His years of experience and deep commitment to health care and education will help further the Board's mission to move the United States toward a high-performing health care system."
Dr. Drake is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and recently completed service as chair of the board of trustees of the Association of Academic Health Centers.