معرفی
Cindy Crusto is a Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine with extensive experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating preventive interventions. She previously served as Associate Dean for Gender Equity and Director of the Office for Women in Medicine and Science at Yale. Her academic appointments include roles in Social and Behavioral Sciences, Global Health Studies, the GROW Initiative Leadership, MORE Program for Biomedical Ethics, Psychology Section, Yale Center for Health & Learning Games, Yale Global Mental Health Program, Yale Ventures, and the Yale-UPR Integrated HIV Basic and Clinical Sciences Initiative.
Dr. Crusto earned her B.A. in psychology from Vassar College (1991), M.A. in clinical-community psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1996), and Ph.D. in clinical-community psychology from the University of South Carolina (2000). She completed pre-doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships in clinical-community psychology at Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.
Her research focuses on culturally relevant interventions for children from racial/ethnic minority and low-income backgrounds, school-based behavioral health services, the impact of family violence on children, and ecological influences on child and family well-being. She conducts rigorous evaluations of community-based initiatives involving substance use and violence prevention, and the promotion of school readiness. Her work often examines the intersection of racial discrimination, trauma, mental health, and physical health outcomes, particularly among African American populations.
Dr. Crusto's recent publications (2022-2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on health disparities, particularly examining how discrimination, trauma, and social determinants impact mental and physical health outcomes among Black/African American populations. Her InterGEN study research has produced numerous publications analyzing the connections between discrimination, trauma, DNA methylation, blood pressure, and mental health outcomes among Black women and mothers. She also has significant work in leadership development, diversity initiatives, and anti-racism training programs.
Her scientific awards include the Healthcare Executive Diversity and Inclusion Certificate (HEDIC) Program (2023), the 2022 Outstanding Contributions for Mentorship in Racial Justice Award, being named a Fellow of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program (2021), the Award for Distinguished Contribution to Diversity in Psychology (2020), and being named a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Society for Community Research and Action (Division 27) (2019).
Dr. Crusto has been actively involved in numerous research collaborations, particularly through the InterGEN study, which examines the intergenerational impact of genetic and psychological factors on blood pressure. She has received significant recognition for her work in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and has developed innovative programs like the GROW (Getting Racism Out of Our Work) initiative to increase multicultural competence among psychology supervisors. Her work bridges clinical-community psychology, public health, and social justice, with a strong emphasis on translating research into practical interventions for underserved populations.
