Maria A. Oquendo, M.D. is Professor of Psychiatry and Vice-Chair at Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute.  Her posts include: American Psychiatric Association, President (effective May 2016); International Academy of Suicide Research, President; American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Board of Directors, Vice President; American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Council, member; National Institute of Mental Health Advisory Council, member.

Her expertise spans from pharmacology and neurobiology of mood disorders and suicidal behavior to Global Mental Health (GMH).  She is principal investigator on several NIMH studies: a prospective study of suicidal behavior; Neurodevelopmental Model of Suicidal Behavior Conte Center’s Clinical Core; a translational neuroscience training program (R25) and two GMH research training programs (T32 and D43).  With over 300 peer-reviewed articles, she has received multiple awards, most recently, Honorary Professor at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru (2011), Stengel Award, International Academy of Suicide Research (2013), Sociedad Colombiana de Psiquiatria Biologica Honorary Member (2014) and the Virginia Kneeland Award (2016).