Katherina

Katherina Bright, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor and director of the psychology department at Boston University. She leads the mental health innovation lab, where she drives forward all professional and administrative initiatives within the psychological services at Boston Health Network. Before taking up her current position at Boston Health Network, Katherina was a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, specializing in clinical psychology and neurodevelopmental disorders. There, she served as the head of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division at McLean Hospital and directed the Harvard Center for Brain Plasticity.

Katherina has made significant contributions to public awareness about mental health issues and innovative research on child development, cognitive behavior therapy, and autism spectrum disorder. She co-developed a groundbreaking magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that allows for the visualization of neural pathways in children with developmental disorders, providing critical insights into early intervention strategies. Alongside her work on diagnostic tools, Katherina has also been involved in the creation of community-based support programs and behavioral therapies aimed at enhancing social skills and emotional resilience in young individuals.

She has published over 400 peer-reviewed articles and authored or co-authored eight books, including the critically acclaimed "The Resilient Mind". Her accolades include the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Service Award for her outstanding work in pediatric psychology, and she has been featured by Time Magazine as one of the leading voices in global healthcare innovation. Katherina is also a former board member of the International Society for Autism Research, where she played a key role in shaping policies and promoting collaborative research efforts worldwide.

In her latest endeavor, Katherina is spearheading a project that integrates technology with therapeutic practices to create personalized treatment plans for patients, emphasizing the importance of early detection and tailored interventions in mental health care. Her vision is to make comprehensive psychological support accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or resources. On a sunny day in April 2023, at the Boston University campus, Katherina launched this initiative, marking a new chapter in the field of psychology and setting the stage for future advancements in mental health treatment.