WASHINGTON, D.C., May 4, 2021 – At the close of the American Psychiatric Association 2021 Annual Meeting, Mary Jo Fitz-Gerald, M.D., assumed the role of Speaker of the APA Assembly of District Branches.

Mary Jo Fitz-Gerald, M.D., is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport in Shreveport, Louisiana. Clinically, she is Director of the Psychiatry Emergency and Consult Services at Ochsner Louisiana State University Health Monroe. Previous roles include Vice-Chair for Psychiatry Education, Psychiatry Residency Training Director, Director of the Psychiatry Inpatient Service, Director of Consult Psychiatry and Director of Emergency Psychiatry at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport. Fitz-Gerald is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has added qualifications in addiction and geriatric psychiatry and consultation liaison psychiatry. She is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a Fellow of the Academy of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, and a Fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists.

Fitz-Gerald previously served as the Speaker-Elect and Recorder for the American Psychiatric Association Assembly. She is a recipient of numerous awards, including the APA Area V Resident Fellow Mentor of the Year Award in 2021 and 2016, the Nancy C.A. Roeske Award of the APA for Excellence in Medical Student Education, the Irma Bland Award of the APA for Excellence in Residency Education, Psychiatrist of the Year by the Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association, the Public Affairs Network Award for the APA, District Branch Newsletter of the Year Award from the APA, and the APA’s Carol Davis Ethics Award.

“I am looking forward to this opportunity to lead the Assembly as we consider and discuss the issues important to the profession of psychiatry and to improving the treatment of our patients,” Fitz-Gerald said. “I am honored to have been selected for this role by my colleagues.”

The APA Assembly is a deliberative, advisory body to the APA Board of Trustees. The Assembly represents and serves the needs of the district branches and state associations and recommends actions to the Board of Trustees. The Assembly is officiated by a Speaker, Speaker-Elect and Recorder.

Other recently elected Assembly Officers include:

• Adam Nelson, M.D., DFAPA, Speaker-Elect
• Vasilis K. Pozios, M.D., DFAPA, Recorder

American Psychiatric Association

The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 37,400 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information please visit www.psychiatry.org.