Lawrence Downs

Larry Downs serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Society of New Jersey, the largest organization of physicians in the state. He works on health policy initiatives, legislative and regulatory affairs, healthcare quality improvement, and public health matters. Mr. Downs also serves as the Executive Director of the Institute of Medicine & Public Health of NJ, - The MSNJ Foundation. Prior to accepting the position of CEO, he served as General Counsel to the Medical Society from 2006 - 2011.

Larry has extensive experience in health policy, public opinion research and media advocacy. From 1997 to 2006 Larry was the Executive Director of the New Jersey Breathes (NJB) a coalition of over 40 state-wide agencies working to reduce tobacco use. Larry was one of the principal architects of New Jersey’s successful legislative efforts to increase the tax on tobacco products in 1998, 2002 and 2003 and the NJ Smokefree Air Act of 2006.

Before joining MSNJ in 1996, Larry was Director of Cancer Prevention & Control at the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) New Jersey Division where he coordinated statewide public education campaigns on the prevention and early detection of cancers. Larry received a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and a Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law - Camden. Larry is a member of the New Jersey Bar Association, The American Bar Association and the American Society of Medical Association Counsel. He currently serves on the executive committee of the Physicians Foundation, a national foundation supporting the work of physicians.

When not at work, Larry can usually be found fishing somewhere off the coast of NJ. He also enjoys alpine skiing, golf and spending time with his wife Mia and their daughter Hanna.