Clinical health psychologist, behavioral medicine researcher and implementation scientist at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Stephanie L. Fitzpatrick, PhD, was named president of the Society for Health Psychology, which is Division 38 of the American Psychological Association (APA) during the 2024 APA Convention in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Fitzpatrick’s election marks a historic moment, as she is both the youngest and the first Black president in the Society’s history. She is dedicated to using her tenure to promote the Society and how it enhances health psychology training, practice and research across career stages.

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The Feinstein Institutes’ Dr. Stephanie Fitzpatrick was named president of the Society for Health Psychology, which is Division 38 of the American Psychological Association during the 2024 APA Convention in Seattle, Washington. (Credit: Feinstein Institutes)

“I am honored to make history and be elected the first Black president of the Society for Health Psychology, Division 38 of the American Psychological Association,” said Dr. Fitzpatrick, professor in the Institute of Health System Science at the Feinstein Institutes. “Representation matters and I am happy to pave the way for future Black leaders in the Society. During my term, I aim to promote health psychology through inclusive engagement.”

For nearly two decades, Dr. Fitzpatrick has been a member of the Society for Health Psychology and has served in several leadership positions, including Chair of the Health Research Council, Health Policy Council and Member-at-Large. Through research, education, and advocacy, the Society advances the role of psychology in understanding the interplay of biological, environmental and behavioral factors on health. The group aims to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals and communities by bridging the gap between psychology and health care.

“We are incredibly proud and congratulate Dr. Fitzpatrick on this historic achievement. Her presidency is a testament to her unwavering dedication to advancing research and health psychology, which aligns with the Feinstein Institutes’ mission to produce knowledge to cure disease,” said Karina W. Davidson, PhD, MASc, dean of academic affairs, director and professor of the Institute of Health System Science at the Feinstein Institutes and former president of the Society for Health Psychology, Division 38 of the American Psychological Association. “We are confident that her leadership will not only benefit the Society for Health Psychology, but also inspire future generations of scientists and clinicians at the Feinstein Institutes and beyond.”

Dr. Fitzpatrick’s research focuses on improving the health of marginalized communities, with a particular emphasis on addressing racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. She recently completed two NIH-funded studies: one evaluating the implementation of a diabetes prevention program, and another testing a community health worker-led intervention to improve diabetes management and address social needs among patients struggling with the disease.

To address poor maternal health outcomes before or after delivery, particularly for Black birthing people, last year, Dr. Fitzpatrick was awarded $4 million from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to study effective maternal health interventions. The new research will evaluate the success of Northwell’s integrated care approach, The Maternal Outcomes Program to help determine what strategies should be scaled nationwide.

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50+ research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its six institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, molecular medicine, and translational research. We are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – an innovative field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. The Feinstein Institutes publishes two open-access, international peer-reviewed journals Molecular Medicine and Bioelectronic Medicine. Through the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, we offer an accelerated PhD program. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.

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