Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, former director of DC Health who helmed the city’s COVID-19 response for two years, has landed a directorship at George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS), the university announced this week.

Nesbitt, who stepped down from her role at DC Health in July, will be the executive director for the school’s new Center for Population Health Sciences and Health Equity. She will also be senior associate dean for population health sciences and health equity and professor of medicine, making her the first person to be appointed to one of the medical school’s new endowed professorships. The university created 14 endowed positions — nine of which are in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences — with $50 million in proceeds from the sale of its 20 percent stake in GW Hospital this past May.

In her new role, Nesbitt will oversee the clinical, education, and research programs at Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center, a new inpatient facility on the St. Elizabeths East Campus that’s set to open in 2024. She will also lead the development of an applied clinical research center focused on population health sciences and equity, and the expansion of GW’s Clinical Public Health program.

“Throughout the pandemic, Dr. Nesbitt has been an incredibly resilient and effective leader. She navigated the response with a sharp focus on equity to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 for all District residents,” Dr. Barbara L. Bass, MD, the dean of GW SMHS said in a press release announcing Nesbitt’s new role.

When she ended her seven-year tenure at D.C.’s health department this summer, Nesbitt joined a cast of local health officials in the region and across the U.S.  who were stepping away from their public-facing roles after years of political backlash and burnout. While D.C. ranked well nationally for its pandemic response, Nesbitt received her fair share of criticism and scrutiny locally for reopening decisions, questionable or confusing data reporting, and a bumpy COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to serve patients and communities in a number of ways — as a clinician in the exam room, as an educator in the classroom and at community town halls, and as an advocate for health equity with key decision makers,” Nesbitt said in the release. “Serving as the Inaugural Executive Director of the new Center for Population Health Sciences and Health Equity affords me the opportunity to combine those experiences in new and exciting ways.”