Columbia Psychiatry appoints Dr. Jean-Marie Alves-Bradford Director of the new Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

The Columbia University Department of Psychiatry announced today that Jean-Marie Alves-Bradford, MD has been appointed the inaugural Director of the new Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. In this pivotal role, Dr. Alves-Bradford will work with department leaders to advise, develop and implement policies, programs and practices that create and support an environment of diversity, equity and inclusion. Her office will serve as a source or guidance to all components of Columbia Psychiatry and ombudsman on issues related to equity, diversity and inclusion. 

“It is not enough that we create a workplace environment of respect, fairness, honesty and safety at Columbia and NYSPI,” said Jeffrey A. Lieberman, MD, Lawrence C. Kolb Professor and Chairman of Columbia Psychiatry. “We must do all we can to extend our values and principles to the society we live in beginning with our communities, city, state and country.” 

Dr. Alves-Bradford has been a member of the Columbia community for over 19 years. Following graduation from Harvard College, she attended the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After completing her post-graduate training in psychiatry at Columbia and NYSPI she joined the faculty and for the past 15 years has been a talented and dynamic clinician, administrator and educator. 

For the past 6 years Dr. Alves-Bradford has co-chaired the Faculty Affairs Committee of Diversity and Inclusion in the department and served on various CUIMC diversity efforts including the VP&S Diversity Council and the NYP GME Diversity Alliance. 

“Dr. Alves-Bradford is well prepared for this important leadership role,” said Dr. Lieberman. “Her experience both in our department and as a physician will be a huge asset as we work toward inclusive excellence in our department”. 

During her time with the Department, Dr. Alves-Bradford has been dedicated to community mental health services treating the underserved and subsequently assumed a leadership role as the Director of the Washington Heights Community Service (WHCS) and Associate Clinical Director of NYSPI, positions which she will retain. Dr. Alves-Bradford teaches medical students, designed an innovative rotation for psychiatric residents to learn primary care in the integrated primary care clinic in the WHCS clinics, and as the Global Mental Health Fellowship Training Director, she recruits and coordinates the education for fellows in mental health implementation science in low resource settings across the world. 

“This is an important opportunity,” said Dr. Alves-Bradford. “I’m looking forward to working together to increase representation, cultural humility and inclusion in our department”