At the Heart of Health: VCU Health CEO takes a paws-on approach to leadership as a therapy dog volunteer
Marlon Levy’s focus on workforce wellness separates him – and his Goldendoodle Charlie – from the rest of the pack.
May 14, 2026
VCU Health CEO Marlon Levy, M.D., MBA, joined the Dogs on Call therapy dog program to connect with team members and patients in a different way. (Eva Russo, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU)
By Brita Allen
In the healthcare field, there are some roles that wear many hats. For Marlon Levy, M.D., MBA, chief executive officer of VCU Health, one of them is labeled “volunteer.”
Levy and his Goldendoodle Charlie recently embarked on the process of becoming a registered therapy dog team. Together, they now walk the halls of VCU Health facilities, bringing joy to patients and staff alike as volunteers with Dogs on Call, a therapy dog program offered through Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction.
A transplant surgeon for more than three decades before becoming CEO, Levy’s days now revolve around the health of the entire health system rather than specific patient cases. But when he dons the bright blue volunteer shirt and gets Charlie dressed in his matching blue therapy dog vest, Levy can step out “incognito.”
“It allows me to see our health system and our facilities in a very different way,” Levy said. “It’s almost like there’s a barrier between the CEO and the organization, and doing this helps me set that aside.”
Despite busy days overseeing VCU Health, a large academic health system in Virginia, Marlon Levy, M.D., MBA, is dedicated to taking time to volunteer with the therapy dog program. (Taylor MacKillop, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)
Leading the pack with empathy
Stepping out of the elevator onto the 10th floor of VCU Medical Center’s Main Hospital building, Levy and Charlie’s first stop was the nurse’s station. Team members cooed, complimenting Charlie’s soft fur and eager smile, which gives off a calming presence.
“This is the best part of my day,” one team member shared while giving ample scratches behind the 12-year-old Goldendoodle's ears.
In between pets, staff asked Levy for Charlie’s trading card – a Dogs on Call token that lists the dog’s name, likes and personality traits. Charlie happens to love lying in the sun in the Levy family’s yard.
Some team members recognized Levy right away and greeted him by name, while others were too enamored with Charlie to notice who was holding the leash. Levy likes it this way so that he can interact and relate to staff and patients “without any filters.”
VCU Health is a truly special place and each team member – even those with four paws – plays a critical role in helping us fulfill our mission. Volunteering helps me see that on a very personal and meaningful level.
Marlon Levy, M.D., MBA, chief executive officer of VCU Health
His shifts with Charlie allow him to lead with one of his most important values: empathy. Levy’s genuine curiosity for the people he encounters shines through.
Each time he volunteers, Levy reaches a different corner of the health system, meeting new team members and patients. He learns how their days are going or about the animals they love that wait for them at home. He always expresses gratitude – to patients for choosing VCU Health for their care and to team members for their compassion for their patients and dedication to their work.
“Forging a meaningful connection with one another, even briefly, is so important to create a positive environment and workplace,” Levy said.
VCU therapy dog research makes a paws-itive impact
Levy and Charlie are just one of the 64 active Dogs on Call teams at VCU Health. In 2025, these volunteers clocked more than 1,800 hours and had upwards of 83,000 meaningful interactions with patients, healthcare workers as well as VCU students and staff.
Research backs up the value of these interactions. The Center for Human-Animal Interaction (CHAI), which operates the Dogs on Call program, has been conducting studies for nearly 25 years to understand what effect interacting with therapy dogs has on patients and healthcare workers.
“You have to make time for what’s important to you, however busy you are,” said VCU Health CEO Marlon Levy, M.D., MBA. (Eva Russo, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU)Some of their recent studies show that patients receiving treatment for acute mental illness reported greater reduction in loneliness when they were visited by Dogs on Call therapy dog teams in addition to their care. Another study looking at hospitalized older adults found a similar result.
“Decades of research shows that interacting with a dog can be beneficial for a number of human health outcomes,” said Nancy Gee, Ph.D., director of CHAI. “Importantly, our Dogs on Call volunteers are also trained to assess their dogs for any signs of stress, so that they too have a positive experience. In our program, it’s a mutually beneficial partnership.”
Volunteers, like Levy, see this impact firsthand.
“When a patient is having a hard day or a staff member is delivering difficult news, seeing Charlie can turn it all around,” he added. “Sometimes it’s very emotional.”
Unleashing a new purpose
Support from VCU Health’s administration is invaluable to the Dogs on Call program, especially because therapy dogs are not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Dr. Levy’s involvement in our program highlights just how supportive our executive team is at VCU Health, which is so important to the existence of our program,” Gee said. “It also highlights his commitment to caring for patients and staff, despite his busy schedule. He is a wonderful ambassador of Dogs on Call.”
While Levy’s days are packed as the CEO of a large academic health system, he is adamant about designating time each month to bring Charlie along to visit a different unit, clinical floor or VCU Health Sciences building.
“You have to make time for what’s important to you, however busy you are,” he said.
His shifts as a volunteer have brought him a lot of personal warmth, he described. Not only does he love spending time with Charlie and his adoring fans across the hospital, but Levy says these experiences have also renewed his appreciation for VCU Health, its people and its mission.
“This has amplified my sense of purpose about the organization, about the patients we serve and the teams we work with,” said Levy. “VCU Health is a truly special place and each team member – even those with four paws – plays a critical role in helping us fulfill our mission. Volunteering helps me see that on a very personal and meaningful level.”
(Taylor MacKillop and Will Sidaros, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)
This story is part of a VCU Health News series called “At the Heart of Health,” which spotlights VCU Health and VCU team members whose passions outside of the workplace inspire and support the community.
