Dr. Muntu Davis of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health named UCLA Fielding School of Public Health 2022 commencement speaker

Dr. Muntu Davis, the county health officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, will deliver the 2022 commencement address for the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health’s Commencement Ceremony on Friday, June 10.

In his role as the county health officer, Davis serves as the medical expert for all public health matters, including COVID-19, at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH). In striving to protect and promote the health and wellness of all Los Angeles County residents, Davis collaborates with LACDPH colleagues as well as health professionals and organizations across the county and beyond to ensure the enactment of appropriate public health measures.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Davis deliver this year’s commencement address, said UCLA Fielding School of Public Health dean and distinguished professor of biostatistics Dr. Ron Brookmeyer.

“As we begin our third year of navigating COVID-19, the role of public health and strong public health leadership remain critical,” Brookmeyer said. “Dr. Davis’ unique perspective as county health officer here in Los Angeles County, which has the largest population of any county in the United States, is incredibly valuable for our graduating students to hear as they begin their journeys as public health professionals."

Prior to joining the LACDPH, Davis served as director and county health officer of California’s Alameda County Public Health Department. In this role, he led public health protection efforts for the county as well as health policy development, and regularly advised the county’s elected and appointed officials. In addition to holding a Master of Public Health from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Davis earned both his Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine from UCLA. With a specialty in family medicine, he has practiced extensively in both primary care and urgent care clinics, in urban and rural areas across California. A key priority for Davis is the implementation and elevation of a health equity framework within government agencies. To that end, he has contributed significantly in the last decade to state and national level health policy discussions.

The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, June 10 at 5:30 PM PDT in UCLA’s Royce Hall. The live ceremony will be available for viewing on the UCLA Fielding School's website and YouTube channel.

The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, founded in 1961, is dedicated to enhancing the public's health by conducting innovative research, training future leaders and health professionals from diverse backgrounds, translating research into policy and practice, and serving our local communities and the communities of the nation and the world. The school has 761 students from 26 nations engaged in carrying out the vision of building healthy futures in greater Los Angeles, California, the nation and the world.