Who I am: I am a Professor Emerita at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). I have a background as an academic community psychiatrist, a mental health advocate, and a productive and effective leader.
Want to know more? Check out my Background page!
Why I’m running: Facing historic mental health inequities, social injustice, climate change, COVID, and limited workforce development, our systems of care – psychiatrists and patients – are overwhelmed. The APA must respond, providing leadership for practical solutions.
I am committed to a change in process and products; the APA must address the following issues:
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Racism and social injustice
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Stigma and parity for patients and providers
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Limited workforce
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Unengaged psychiatrists in the APA
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Continuing the Fall meeting of the APA
- Climate change and mental health
- See my Tier #1 rating from the Climate Psychiatry Alliance: CPA Newsletter January 2020
Want to know more? Check out my Platform!
What I bring to the table: I have had experience in multiple positions where problem-solving, engagement, partnership and advocacy have led to the creation of productive functional systems of care including but not limited to:
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Professor Emerita at UAB
- Patrick H. Linton Endowed Chair in Psychiatry (1999-2014)
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Vice-Chair for Clinical Services at UAB
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Director, Division of Public Psychiatry at UAB
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Medical Director of the psychiatric hospital at UAB
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Executive Director/ Medical Director of a large Community Mental Health Center
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Editor-in-Chief Community Mental Health Journal
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President (4 years) and on-going board member of the American Association for Community Psychiatry
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Board member of the American Psychiatric Foundation
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Chair of the APA Presidential Workgroup to sustain the APA Fall meeting
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Member of APA Committee (Conflict of Interest)
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Chair, APA Scientific Program Committee, both for the Fall meeting and the Annual Meeting
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DOJ investigator of state hospitals, federal court monitor of prison systems
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NAMI Associate Medical Director
Want to know more? Check out my Abbreviated CV!
How to vote: Electronic ballots will be mailed to eligible voting members with a valid email address on file beginning January 4; reminders to vote will be sent through direct emails and the Psychiatric News Update and Alert. You can cast your vote anytime between January 4 and February 1. Paper ballots are available on request by sending an email to election@psych.org and must be postmarked by the February 1 deadline. It’s not hard to vote and takes only a few minutes.
To learn more about the election process and all of the candidates, please visit psych.org.