Kisha B. Holden, PhD, MSCR, is awarded a 2021 Presidential Citation for her continued commitment to health equity research, low-income and economically marginalized populations, and increasing accessibility to comprehensive health care.
After earning her doctorate in counseling psychology from Howard University, Holden completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University and has received an African American Mental Health Research Scientist Fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health. Throughout her academic and professional career, Holden made community health a priority. For seven years, as director and codirector at Community Voices: Healthcare for the Underserved, Holden led research, policy and advocacy initiatives; provided leadership and mentorship to community-based organization grantees and staff; and monitored, analyzed and researched federal and state health related legislation and regulations. Currently, Holden is the Poussaint-Satcher Endowed chair in mental health and is the associate director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine. Her expertise is centered on clinical and translational mental health research, reducing health disparities and developing resilience, cultural, and gender-based initiatives for individuals at risk for depression and PTSD.
Holden’s dedication to the American Psychological Association is highlighted by her membership with the Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology as well as the Promoting Health Disparities Research Advisory Board. She is also the cochair for APA President Jennifer F. Kelly’s Task Force on Psychology and Health Equity, where she and other task force members have worked tirelessly to create the Resolution on Advancing Health Equity in Psychology. Outside of her service to APA, Holden served on various groups focused on health equity such as the HIV/AIDS Prevention for Women Consortium, the California Reducing Health Disparities Brain Trust, and the Mental Health in the African American Community Board.
As highlighted by her numerous presentations, media impressions, journal articles and books, Holden’s passion to reducing health disparities among marginalized populations is highly regarded by her peers and the communities she supports. For these reasons and many more, it is my honor to award Kisha B. Holden, PhD, MSCR, with this 2021 Presidential Citation.