BU/VA Doc Honored by the American Psychological Foundation

Jillian C. Shipherd, PhD, a clinical research psychologist at the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System and a professor of psychiatry at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, has been selected to receive a 2023 American Psychological Foundation (APF) Gold Medal Award for Impact in Psychology. The award recognizes the work of a psychologist or group of psychologists that is impactful, innovative and transformational.

Additionally, Shipherd, along with Sarah E. Valentine, PhD, assistant professor psychiatry at the School, were honored with an Editor’s Choice Award by the journal Psychological Assessment, for their paper, “Considerations and Complexities of Accurate PTSD Assessment Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults.” According to the award description, Editor’s Choice papers represent the best science in each area of our discipline, reflecting science that is exceptionally important, impactful, and deserves additional visibility.

Valentine also serves as the Director of Boston Medical Center’s RESTORE Center— REcovery from Stress and Trauma through Outpatient care, Research, and Education—which aims to improve access to culturally responsive evidence-based treatments for PTSD in safety net hospital settings.

Shipherd also serves as Deputy Director for the LGBTQ+ Health Program at the Veterans Health Administration in Washington D.C. In this role, she oversees policy recommendations, provider education programs and clinical services to support personalized, proactive, patient-driven health care for LGBT Veterans.

Her area of expertise is the interface of mental and physical health subsequent to trauma with a focus on sexual and gender minority populations. She has published on improving healthcare system responses to the unique needs of LGBT Veterans and is the author of more than 130 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, as well as the book Adult Transgender Care: An Interdisciplinary Approach for Training Mental Health Professionals.

Shipherd earned her PhD in clinical psychology at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and completed her predoctoral internship at the VA Boston Healthcare System.