David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD is Professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also Senior Medical Advisor to UPMC Enterprises, whose mission is to commercialize innovations in health care for life changing medicine.
Dr. Okonkwo was graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Biology in 1994. He attended the University as a Howard Hughes Undergraduate Biomedical Research Scholar. He completed his M.D. and his Ph.D. at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2000. He then completed his residency in Neurological Surgery at the University of Virginia and a fellowship at Auckland Public Hospital in New Zealand. He joined UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh in 2006.
Dr. Okonkwo’s clinical interests are sports medicine, traumatic injuries to the brain and spine, as well as scoliosis and spinal deformity surgery. Through his patents, creativity, and research, Dr. Okonkwo has spent two decades developing technologies and treatments to transform management of concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and complex spinal disorders. Dr. Okonkwo’s innovation and commercialization efforts have yielded several medical devices now in global distribution. He was elected by his peers to lead the Section on Neurotrauma and Critical Care for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He served two years as Senior Advisor to the US Army Medical Research and Material Development Command in the Department of Defense.
Dr. Okonkwo leads one of the premier research programs for traumatic brain injury in the U.S. with funding from the NIH, DOD, and industry. Since 2013, Dr. Okonkwo has annually been named one of America’s Best Doctors, while also serving on the medical staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has trained numerous residents and fellows who have gone on to leadership positions in neurosurgery. Dr. Okonkwo has published more than 400 research papers, gives lectures around the world to advance neurosurgery, and has received numerous awards in his career.
Dr. Okonkwo was appointed to the Board of Visitors by Governor Youngkin in 2024.
- June 30, 2028
- Eligible for one reappointment
- Appointed by Governor Youngkin in 2024
Neurosurgeon and Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh