Pender Chosen APA’s Next President-Elect

Abstract

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article APA & MeetingsFull AccessPender Chosen APA’s Next President-ElectSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:27 Feb 2020https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2020.3a33AbstractAPA members have selected a leader who has long been active in APA and global issues in psychiatry, including human trafficking.Vivian B. Pender, M.D., will become president-elect of APA at the end of APA’s Annual Meeting in April, when Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H., becomes president.APA’s voting members have elected Vivian B. Pender, M.D., of New York City to become APA’s next president-elect. She ran against David C. Henderson, M.D., of Boston.Pender is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Weill Cornell Medical College and training psychoanalyst at Columbia University. A Distinguished Life Fellow, she has served APA in leadership roles at the United Nations and in her district branch, APA components, the Assembly, and the Board of Trustees. She is the founder of Healthcare Against Trafficking Inc. She advocates for diversity, inclusion, and equality. Her recent book is titled The Status of Women.Pender told Psychiatric News that she plans to focus her presidency on the social determinants of mental health. She intends to concentrate on prevention of some forms of mental illness by eliminating contributing factors. This will be coupled with early intervention tools and equal access to high-quality psychiatric care. Additional use of psychodynamic theory will provide insightful and durable treatments.“One avenue to accomplish this is through education,” she said. “A more informed society will be able to employ early intervention and create an environment conducive to mental health and devoid of stigma for those who need treatment. Another avenue is prevention. As psychiatrists, we all know there is a relationship between a strong early foundation in life and mental health, and so we must work toward the prevention of childhood trauma and violence. Such experiences include the long-held practice of corporal punishment and the sexual abuse of children. Also, education and prevention can help to decrease the number of incarcerated people who have mental illness, including substance use, and reduce other disparities that exist among women, people of color, indigenous people, the LGBTQ community, people living in poverty, and many other disenfranchised groups.“We are all global citizens who care about the pollution of our environment, refugees, human rights, poverty, and human decency,” she continued. “As president, I will invite APA members and nonmember psychiatrists to contribute to this endeavor of education and prevention to improve the lives of people worldwide.”Other Race ResultsThe race for treasurer, which has a two-year term, was up for election this cycle. Richard F. Summers, M.D., of Bryn Mawr, Pa., defeated Ann Marie T. Sullivan, M.D., of New York City.In the race for trustee-at-large, Michele Reid, M.D., of Novi, Mich., emerged the winner. Her opponents were Frank A. Clark, M.D., of Simpsonville, S.C., and Mark S. Komrad, M.D., of Towson, Md. This position has a three-year term.Two of APA’s seven geographic Areas voted for a trustee in this election cycle. Only members within each Area could vote for their respective Area trustee. Area trustees hold three-year terms.Winning the Area 2 trustee race was Glenn A. Martin, M.D., of Forest Hills, N.Y. His opponent was James P. Kelleher, M.D., M.B.A., of Harrison, N.Y.Jenny Boyer, M.D., Ph.D., J.D., of Norman, Okla., was elected Area 5 trustee. Her opponent was Philip L. Scurria, M.D., of Vicksburg, Miss.The winner of the race for resident-fellow member trustee was Sanya Virani, M.D., M.P.H., a PGY-4 resident at Maimonides Medical Center in New York. Her opponents were Mariam Aboukar, D.O., a PGY-3 resident at Advocate Health Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill., and Aatif Mansoor, M.D., a PGY-3 resident at the Charleston Area Medical Center in West Virginia.“I congratulate Dr. Pender and all of the successful candidates on their election,” said Bruce Schwartz, M.D. “I look forward to collaborating with them as APA works to improve access to and quality of mental health care for all.”“APA members and the profession of psychiatry will be well served by the leadership of Dr. Pender,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “I have known her for years, and her dedication and passion for psychiatry will greatly benefit APA during her tenure.”Election results were approved by the Tellers Committee in February, but the results will not be official until after the Board of Trustees reviews them at its meeting this month. All of the winning candidates will assume their positions on the Board at the close of APA’s Annual Meeting in May. ■ ISSUES NewArchived