VCU Institute for Women's Health

Susan G. Kornstein, M.D
Executive Director

Susan G. Kornstein, M.D. is Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the VCU Institute for Women's Health, designated a National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She is Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Psychiatry and has served as Director of the VCU Mood Disorders Institute, Medical Director of the VCU Clinical Trials Office, Chair of the VCU Division of Outpatient Psychiatry, and VCU Health System Board Member, a gubernatorial appointment.   

Dr. Kornstein is an internationally recognized researcher and thought leader with expertise in depression and women’s mental health. She has been a principal investigator on more than 90 research studies in the areas of depression, anxiety disorders, premenstrual syndrome, and sexual dysfunction. She is currently Principal Investigator on a $3 million ADVANCE-Institutional Transformation grant funded by the National Science Foundation focused on increasing recruitment, retention and advancement of diverse women faculty in STEM fields. She is also Principal Investigator of a $3.2 million NIH-funded Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) grant that funds the development of early career faculty into independent researchers in women’s health under the mentorship of senior investigators. Dr. Kornstein was an investigator in the landmark Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) depression study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and was a Regional Center Director for the NIH Depression Trials Network. She published the first large study showing sex differences in antidepressant treatment response for depression, and the first large study of an antidepressant for the treatment of peri- and postmenopausal depression, as well as the first large study of symptom-onset antidepressant dosing for premenstrual dysphoric disorder. She edited the first comprehensive textbook on women’s mental health (Women's Mental Health: A Comprehensive Textbook, Guilford Press), and recently co-chaired a task force for the National Network of Depression Centers and the North American Menopause Society that developed the first set of guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of perimenopausal depression. She has authored more than 200 scientific journal articles, chapters, and abstracts, and has given many invited presentations at national and international meetings.  

Dr. Kornstein is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Women's Health, Editor-in Chief of Women's Health Reports, Chair of the Health of Women Conference (formerly the Annual Congress on Women’s Health), and Co-Chair of the Steering Committee for the American Society for Clinical Psychopharmacology. She is a past member of the NIH Advisory Council for Research on Women’s Health, Past President of the International Association for Women’s Mental Health, Past President of the North American Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Past President of the Academy of Women's Health. She is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, and a member of the American College of Psychiatrists. She has been a consultant to the U.S. Surgeon General, DHHS, and NASA on women’s mental health concerns and serves on a number of national advisory boards. She has given over 100 media interviews, including the New York Times, CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Science Magazine, and numerous women’s magazines. 

Dr. Kornstein has been the recipient of many awards for her research, service, and leadership, including a Distinguished Service Award from the Psychiatric Society of Virginia, a Research Scientist Award from the MCV Foundation, the VCU Women in Medicine and Science Professional Achievement Award, the YWCA Outstanding Woman Award for Health and Science, Best Doctors in America, JWI’s Woman to Watch Award, the Lilly Welcome Back Award, MM&M’s HealthCare Transformer Award, and the American Medical Women’s Association’s Lila Wallis Award for lifetime contributions to the field of women’s health.  

Dr. Kornstein attended college and medical school at Brown University and completed her residency training and a fellowship in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at the Medical College of Virginia of Virginia Commonwealth University. She is also a graduate of the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute and the Drexel Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program. 

Dace Svikis, Ph.D.
Deputy Director

Dace Svikis is a Professor in the Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry and Obstetrics/Gynecology at VCU. She also serves as Deputy Director of the VCU Institute for Women’s Health, Director of the AWHARE Program (Addiction and Women’s Health: Advancing Research and Evaluation), and Co-Director of the International Programme in Addiction Studies. Dr. Svikis is a clinical psychologist who has been involved in addiction research for over 30 years, with expertise in clinical trials of pharmacological and behavioral interventions.

She is best known for her work in perinatal substance use and substance use disorders and has championed inclusion of sex as a biological variable in the design and interpretation of research. Since coming to VCU, her focus has shifted to transdisciplinary studies and the use of technology to bridge the research to clinical practice gap. Dr. Svikis has served as PI on numerous R01s and has served on a variety of NIH study sections and special review panels. She is dedicated to student and faculty mentoring, serving as primary mentor on a variety of K01/K23 junior faculty as well as F31 and R36 doctoral student research training awards. In addition, Dr. Svikis is active in international work, frequently serving as mentor to scholars in the Humphrey Fellowship program at VCU. 

Amy Salisbury Ph.D., RN
Director of Research, Professor and Associate Dean for Research, Scholarship & Innovation

Dr. Salisbury received a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychobiology from the University of Connecticut, a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Rhode Island, and is a licensed nurse practitioner in child and family psychiatry.  She has expertise in the measurement and assessment of fetal and infant neurobehavior and sleep development. Her work includes longitudinal research examining the impact of prenatal substance use, maternal psychiatric conditions, and their treatments on women’s health and fetal-infant neurodevelopmental outcomes. This work contributes to the evidence base for informed risk-benefit decisions for pregnant patients and their care providers and the development of novel interventions for improved outcomes for pregnant persons and their children.  Since joining the VCU School of Nursing in 2020, she has been collaborating with interprofessional colleagues across the university for a shared vision of innovative, community-engaged research delivering and evaluating clinical programs and interventions to promote optimal and equitable intergenerational health.

Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D. is Executive Director of the Institute for Engineering and Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University and is professor of Biomedical Engineering where she holds the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin, Jr. Chair. Boyan also is professor emerita in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she was Associate Dean for Research and Innovation in the College of Engineering. Dr. Boyan served as Dean of Engineering at VCU from 2013 to 2022. She was the founding Director of the FDA-sponsored Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium and directed the Virginia branch when she moved to Virginia. Dr. Boyan is presently co-principal investigator of VCU’s NSF-sponsored Advance-IT grant, which promotes career development of women faculty in STEM related disciplines and of the NIH-sponsored “Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH)” award to VCU. She is a Fellow in national and international scientific societies, including the National Academy of Inventors, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Orthopaedic Research Society, American Institute of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, the International College of Fellows of Biomaterials Science and Engineering, and the European Academy of Science and Arts, and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2012. She is presently a member of the Biologics Committee for the North American Spine Society and is a former chair of the FDA’s Orthopaedic Device Panel. She is vice-chair of the board of the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing and in 2020 she was appointed by the Governor to the board of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority, where she serves as chair. She has founded a number of biomedical technology companies and has served on the Boards of both public and private companies, as well as not-for-profit organizations. The author of more than 520 peer-reviewed papers, reviews, and book chapters, Dr. Boyan holds 24 issued U.S. patents as well as international patents.

Molly Hyer, Ph.D.
Director of Research Development and Learning Innovation

Dr. Hyer serves as the Director of Research Development and Innovation for the VCU Institute for Women’s Health. The main arc of her research career has focused on sex disparities in experience-dependent plasticity of the mammalian brain that contribute to changes in cognition and affective function across the lifespan. Most recently, her work has focused on the mechanisms by which developmental stressors act as risk factors for disease states in adulthood – including psychiatric disease, drug abuse, and dementia – and how sex confers different vulnerabilities. Specifically, she investigated sex differences in the mechanisms by which environmental stressors experienced during adolescence lead to long-lasting consequences that manifest in adulthood – including diet-induced stress (consumption of a high fructose diet) or psychosocial stress that drive adult cognitive decline and neuroinflammation. Her earlier work investigated plasticity of the peri- and post- natal brain of males and females and how neuroendocrine mechanisms driven by offspring interaction alter neural structure and function. In addition to her successful research career, Dr. Hyer has established a well-rounded teaching portfolio based in pedagogical theory covering undergraduate, graduate, and medical education. Dr. Hyer is passionate and committed to promoting diversity and inclusion among health science fields and beyond – increasing the representation of women and underrepresented groups in STEM fields through active training and engagement. Finally, Dr. Hyer is experienced in healthcare innovation for new technologies that advance healthcare practices, disease prevention and treatment, and medical education.

Gretchen N. Neigh, Ph.D.
Director of Translational Research

Dr. Neigh is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Dr. Neigh’s research focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms that dictate risk and resilience to stress exposure with the goal of determining how to prevent and treat mental and physical disease. Her work focuses on periods of increased plasticity and susceptibility to insults such as adolescence, late life, and in the context of HIV. In addition, Dr. Neigh assesses the role of sex differences in the manifestation of risk and resilience. Dr. Neigh has received funding from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, the American Heart Association, the Claude Pepper Center, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute for Nursing Research, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Virginia Alzheimer’s and Related Disease Research Award Fund. In addition to her research program, Dr. Neigh is an Associate Director of the VCU MD/PhD Program and co-Director of the VCU Clinical and Translational PhD Program. Outside of VCU, Dr. Neigh is the current Chair of the Biological Rhythms, Learning and Ethology (BRLE) Study Section for NIH, is a past council member and secretary for the Organization for the Study of Sex Difference (OSSD), previously served as the inaugural social media editor for Neuropsychopharmacology, and serves on the editorial boards of Psychoneuroendocrinology, Neuropsychopharmacology, Hormones & Behavior, and Physiology & Behavior. More information about her work can be found at: http://gretchenneigh.com.  

Pamela Dillon, PharmD
Co-Director of Translational Research
Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research Liaison

Dr. Dillon has worked at VCU since 2007, currently serving as the Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research liaison. She also serves as a clinical assistant professor at the VCU School of Pharmacy. Dr. Dillon received her bachelor’s degrees in Pharmacy and Spanish, graduating summa cum laude, from Butler University in 1992. She then earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from VCU in 1997. She started her career in the pharmaceutical industry at Pharmaceutical Research Associates, a contract research organization. Subsequently, she worked at Insmed Pharmaceuticals, Inc Research, and finally, Aderis Pharmaceuticals, where she was Director of Clinical Development. Dr. Dillon has more than 15 years of broad-based pharmaceutical industry experience in product development planning, clinical trials management, regulatory compliance, medical writing, therapeutic monitoring, and data management. As a CCTR liaison, Dr. Dillon works to provide VCU’s researchers with access to core resources, networking opportunities, and research-related educational offerings. Dr. Dillon’s own research interests include women’s health and substance use disorders. 

Susan Bodnar-Deren, Ph.D.
Research Scientist in Perinatal Mental Health

Dr. Bodnar-Deren is a medical sociologist whose research focuses on the life course and social determinants of health and health behaviors, and the ways that macro social factors affect individual-level health and well-being. Broadly, her research interests take a life course perspective in the areas of environmental gerontology, applied sociology, health /illness, and social psychology all within medical sociology, but her work spans various sub-disciplines, including behavioral health, health disparities, and social policy. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and is currently an Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology at VCU and an Affiliate Researcher at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Prior to coming to VCU, she was a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Excellence Fellow at the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research at Rutgers University.  

Among the courses that she teaches are: Medical Sociology (undergraduate and graduate), Sociology of Aging and the Life Course (undergrad and grad), Sociology of Mental Disorder, and Senior Seminar.  

Her research focuses on two distinct areas of the life course – maternal reproductive years and older age (and the end-of-life). In both areas of her research, the projects on which she works seek to illuminate the links between individual and environmental factors that affect health beliefs and behaviors. 

Kris Hood, Ph.H. - Co-Director of Community-Engaged Research

Bio coming! 

Heather A. Jones, Ph.D., LCP
Director of Trainee Development

Heather A. Jones is an Associate Professor of Psychology at VCU. She serves as the Director of Trainee Development of the VCU Institute for Women’s Health and Co-Director of the VCU Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative (PCPTC). Dr. Jones is also currently co-chair of the national Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology Training Council and is a Research Mentor for the VCU Center on Health Disparities. Dr. Jones is a licensed clinical psychologist who has spent her career mentoring the next generations of clinical psychologists and medical professionals who area focused on women and children, with a special emphasis on those from groups underrepresented in the sciences.
Dr. Jones has served as PI on a large cross-campus training grant for the Health Resources and Services Administration. As a scientist-practitioner, her research and clinical interests center on maternal and child mental health, with a focus on Black families. She has co-authored a book entitled, African American Families: Research, Theory, and Practice, and regularly publishes on child and maternal mental health in high tier journals. She has a strong commitment to mentoring future health service psychologists and clinical scientists and has multiple publications on training and mentoring in this field.

Kellie E. Carlyle, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Research Scientist in Interpersonal Violence and Sexual Assault

Dr. Carlyle serves as the scientific lead of the Sexual and Domestic Violence Research Development Group in the VCU Institute for Women's Health and primarily focuses her research on issues related to interpersonal violence, sexual and reproductive health, and mental health. Her contributions to advancing the field of public health were recognized with the 2015 Early Career Award given by the Public Health Education and Health Promotion Division of the American Public Health Association. Dr. Carlyle also has broad expertise in intersectional approaches to reducing health disparities, media representations of public health issues, program evaluation, and theory-driven message design. She uses a range of methodological approaches in her work including quantitative (surveys, experiments, content analyses), qualitative (interviews, focus groups, discourse analyses), and mixed methods. 

Abigail H. Conley, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, School of Education
Research Scientist in Interpersonal Violence and Sexual Assault

Dr. Abigail H. Conley is an associate professor of counselor education in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is the master’s program coordinator and track coordinator for the College Counseling and Student Affairs M.Ed. program, and a research scientist in the IPV/SV workgroup with VCU’s Institute for Women’s Health. Dr. Conley works closely with VCU’s Office of Equity and Access Services, and oversees the development, implementation and dissemination of the annual VCU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Violence and Bystander Behavior. She serves as editor-in-chief for Counseling and Values, the official journal of the Association of Spiritual, Ethical and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC), a division of the American Counseling Association (ACA). She is also co-author of the book, Wellness Counseling: A Holistic Approach to Prevention and Intervention.

Valerie Coleman, RN, MSN, IBCLC, FACCE
Director of Community Education

Valerie is a Women’s and Children’s Health Educator. She earned a Master’s of Science in Nursing from Duke University, and has been a nurse for 37 years.  Valerie is a Certified Lactation Consultant, a Certified Childbirth Educator, and a Fellow in the American College of Childbirth Educators.  She is currently the team leader at VCUHS for the Best Fed Beginnings Learning Collaborative, a national initiative to improve outcomes for mothers and babies.  She was on faculty for the School of Nursing at  UNC Chapel Hill and Virginia Commonwealth University and worked as an infant transport nurse in the NICU in Chapel Hill, N.C. and a preceptor in labor and delivery at VCUHS.  Valerie serves on the Virginia State Advisory Council on Breastfeeding, the State Task Force on Breastfeeding,  and the Mayor’s Commission on Breastfeeding in Richmond, VA, and is the Lamaze International representative on the United States Breastfeeding committee Advisory Board.  Professional affiliations for Valerie include Lamaze International, International Lactation Consultant Association, Central Virginia Nurse Staff Development, and Sigma Theta Tau and has served on the Board of District 5 of Virginia Nurses Association.  She is a graduate of the Nurse Leadership Academy. 

Lisa Ellis, M.S., M.D., CCC
Co-Chair, Women's Health Conference

Ellis is the Executive Director of Provider and Trainee Wellness is a full-time faculty member at VCU in the Office of Strategic Initiatives. She has been the Chief Medical Officer for the physician practice Plan at VCU Health and as well the Ambulatory Clinics at VCU Health. She is also the Medical Director for the Women’s Health Clinic at VCU Health. Dr. Ellis received her MS degree in Speech and Language Pathology from the University of Wisconsin and MD degree from VCU School of Medicine.  She completed a residency at VCU Medical Center in Internal Medicine-Women’s Health. 

She was recruited by Sanford Health University Health System in the Midwest to be the Administrator/ Medical Director and founding developer of the Sanford Health Women’s Plaza. At Sanford Health she was the Deputy Director for a demonstration Project for the National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health in collaboration with the US Dept. of Health and Human Services.

Ellis was appointed the medical student and residency representative for the state of Virginia for the American College of Physicians sitting on the Governor’s Council for five years in Virginia. During this time, two Evergreen awards were awarded to Virginia for projects and conferences she facilitated. The Evergreen award is a prestigious award given by the American College of Physicians to honor the development of new programs which promoted physician involvement.  She was again appointed to the council by the Governor in 2009 and became a fellow of the College at that time. She recently completed a four-year elected position as the Governor for Virginia of the American College of Physicians and held this position until 2016. Dr. Ellis has won awards for Leadership including the Joseph E. Johnson Leadership award, an international award which recognizes qualities that enhance the effectiveness of health care by fostering excellence and professionalism in the practice of medicine. As a resident at VCU Medical Center she was the recipient of the Excellence in Leadership award given to a resident that demonstrates leadership at regional and national levels. One of the most meaningful awards given to Dr. Ellis was the Arthur Klein Memorial Award given to a resident at VCU chosen by their peers for their demonstration of compassion and excellence in patient care.

Ellis has been the co-chair of the annual Health of Women conference (formerly the Congress on Women's Health National meeting on numerous occasions as well as the Chair of the Planning Committee. She was also the Chair of the National Centennial Annual conference for the American College of Physicians in Boston, 2015 and the Chair of the 2017 National ACP meeting in San Diego, CA. She has given numerous invited seminars and lectures on women's health topics and in the area of Wellness and is trained as a Wellness Champion. She has won numerous awards including the Foundations in Clinical Medicine Excellence in teaching award, Award for Humanism and Excellence in Professional Services for the Dept. of Internal Medicine and most recently was elected as a Master in the American College of Physicians, joining the company of just one other female Master in the state of Virginia.

She currently is working with the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians on wellness in physicians facilitating strategy for decreasing physician burnout in organizations across the country. She currently has a seat on the National ACP Informatics committee providing feedback resolutions and policy regarding Electronic Medical Record issues and concerns.

Personally, Dr. Ellis’s husband is a dermatopathologist who practices in the Richmond community and they have two adult sons. She is an avid archer, gardener, golfer and trained vocalist.

Wendy S. Klein, MD, MACP 
Co-chair of the Women's Health 2020 

After pre-med studies at Columbia University, Dr. Klein received her medical degree from Case Western Reserve University and completed Internal Medicine residency training at the Medical College of Virginia. In 1988, she joined the MCV faculty in General Internal Medicine, and subsequently rose to numerous leadership positions within the Department of Internal Medicine and at the University. In 1992, she co-founded the award winning VCU Women’s Health Center at Stony Point, where she was Medical Director for its first five years.  

In 1997, Dr. Klein established and directed an innovative Internal Medicine residency in Women’s Health, which became a national model for interdisciplinary medical training. In 1999, she co-founded the VCU Institute for Women’s Health (IWH), which was recognized as a National Center of Excellence by the US Department of Health & Human Services. Active in numerous organizations, Dr. Klein is also the founding Past President of the Women in Science, Dentistry & Medicine (WISDM) Organization and is founding Chair of IWH’s annual Health of Women conference (formerly the Congress on Women’s Health), a multidisciplinary women’s health conference that provides a scientific update for healthcare professionals. She currently serves on national committees for the American College of Physicians (ACP), the Sex and Gender Women’s Health Collaborative, and the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), and continues to actively mentor students, residents and faculty. 

Dr. Klein has been recognized in Richmond Magazine’s listing of the “Top Docs in Richmond” and in The Best Doctors in America. In 2006, she received the VCU Women in Science, Dentistry & Medicine (WISDM) Professional Achievement Award. In 2005, she was honored to become Deputy Editor of the Journal of Women’s Health and she co-edited the Journal until 2011. In 2014, she received the designation of Mastership from the American College of Physicians, given to a highly select peer nominated group who are felt to be distinguished by the excellence and significance of contributions to the field of medicine, and in 2015 she was the recipient of the Virginia ACP Laureate Award, in recognition of an abiding commitment to excellence in medical care, and education and in service to the community. Dr. Klein remains actively involved in promoting excellence in medical education, in women’s health and in patient care, and continues to actively mentor students, residents and faculty. She served as Medical Director of Health Brigade, formerly called Fan Free Clinic, the oldest free clinic in Virginia, from 2015-2020. She is an appointee to the Virginia Board of Health since 2015, and currently serves in an advisory capacity to the Virginia Department of Health Covid 19 response team. 

Judith Collins, WHNP
Chair of Professional Advisory Board

Collins retired in July 2000 after more than thirty years of service at VCU. Ms. Collins earned her B.S.N. from the University of North Carolina, M.S. in Maternal-Child Health Nursing from Boston University, and OB/GYN Nurse Practitioner Certificate from VCU. Throughout her nursing career, she has held positions in nursing services, administration and education. She served on the Hospital Ship HOPE in Nicaragua in 1966. She was also a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow in Washington, D.C. in 1982-1983 and worked in Congress in the Office of Congressman Richard A. Gephardt. Following the fellowship, Ms. Collins initiated the VCU Health Policy Office in the Office of the Vice President for Health Sciences to focus on governmental relations and health policy issues/education. She was Director of the Health Policy Office from 1983-1993.

Collins is a nationally known speaker, consultant, and writer in the areas of women's health care, health policy, and nurse practitioner issues. Ms. Collins co-authored a chapter in Primary Health Care of Women entitled "Women and the Health Care System." She has served on multiple Boards and Task Forces focused on health policy issues including infant mortality, maternal-child health, indigent care, and health professional standards.

Collins holds leadership positions in many community and professional organizations on the local, state and national levels. She was the first Chair of the National Alliance of Nurse Practitioners, National Vice President of NAACOG (AWHONN), Vice President of the National Certification Corporation (NCC) for Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nurses and the past Chair of the Virginia Capital Area March of Dimes. She is currently a Board Member of the National Center for Certification Preparation and Review, a Trustee and Vice President of the MCV Foundation, Co-Chair of the Advisory Council of the YWCA, Board Member and Vice Chair of Women's Health Virginia, Board Member of the American College of Nurse Midwives Certification Council, Trustee of the Richmond Memorial Foundation, Board Member of the VCU Institute of Women's Health and Board Member of Centralized Credentials Verification Service, Inc. Ms. Collins is volunteering as a WHNP at Craig Health Center. 

Collins is also a founding Board Member and Vice President of Women's Health Virginia, a statewide initiative to improve the health of women and girls in Virginia, that partners with VCU's Institute of Women's Health on education and outreach activities. Ms. Collins' honors and awards include election as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nurses, Mabel Montgomery Outstanding Nursing Faculty Award, VCU Distinguished Faculty Service Award (first Woman), the National NAACOG Distinguished Professional Service Award, the Virginia Nurses Association 1990 Political Nurse of the Year Award, the 1991 YWCA Outstanding Women's Award of Greater Richmond in Health and Science, appointed by the Governor to serve on the Virginia Board of Nursing (1991-95), VCU Outstanding Alumni Award for 1993, 1994 VCU Woman of the Year, 1994 William Bruch, Judith B. Collins, RNC, MS, WHNP, FAAN M.D. Outstanding Nurse Practitioner Award, The National Association of Professionals in Women's Health 1998 National Excellence Award for Outstanding Comprehensive Women's Health Services, VCU School of Nursing 1999 Outstanding Alumni Award, and one of the 99 Outstanding Nurses in Virginia by the Virginia Nurses Foundation, the Virginia Nurses Association for 1999, the 1999 National Conference for Nurse Practitioners "Lifetime Achievement Award for 9 National Nurse Practitioner Leaders/Role Models", Virginia Nurses Association 20th Century Pioneer Award, and VCU Health System Employee of the Year for 2000. In honor of her retirement, an endowed Professorship in Women's Health was established at the VCU School of Nursing. In retirement, Ms. Collins has remained very active as a volunteer on many University, community, state and national boards and foundations.

Project Coordinator 
Benoit Meyrieux, MA
Journal of Women's Health, Editorial Coordinator and IWH Project Coordinator 

(804) 827-1200
benoit.meyrieux@vcuhealth.org

Special Projects
Janett Forte, MSW, LCSW
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry

Janett Forte served as the Program Director for the VCU Institute for Women’s Health, National Center of Excellence from November 2003 to June 2012. Currently she works part time with the Institute for Women’s Health on special projects. Janett retired in June 2012 and then served in the U.S. Peace Corps as a Response Volunteer in the Philippines for six months.

Janett’s particular emphasis had been on building and sustaining partnerships in the areas of global women’s health, domestic and sexual violence, and community engagement. She was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and holds a Clinical Assistant Professor faculty appointment with the Department of Psychiatry. She worked for over 30 years to increase awareness and education related to violence against women, to build community partnerships and to work towards women’s empowerment in diverse communities in Richmond and Chesterfield, Virginia and globally in the Philippines, Guatemala, and Haiti.

These days she is enjoying her free time and volunteers with the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps, at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, and Virginia Repertory Theatre. She spends considerable time traveling, hiking, and enjoying family and friends, gardening, and nesting at her Craftsman style home in Bellevue, Richmond. VA. Embracing aging with bold vitality, curiosity and intentionality is her current goal.

Kellyn serves as the Program Coordinator for the National Coordinating Center for Advancing Gender Inclusive Excellence (AGIE) for the Institute for Women’s Health. With 15 years of experience in higher education, she looks forward to collaborating with interdisciplinary leadership, faculty, and staff to ensure the program’s success and drive significant impact.

Kellyn.Moody@vcuhealth.org