VCU news

By Brian McNeill

Brian D. Smedley, Ph.D., chief of psychology in the public interest and acting chief diversity officer of the American Psychological Association, will give a virtual talk at Virginia Commonwealth University on addressing health inequities.

Smedley’s talk, “Race, Place, and Chronic Disease: Addressing the Roots of Health Inequities,” will be held Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. via Zoom.

Smedley is a national thought leader in the field of health equity. At the American Psychological Association, he leads the organization’s efforts to apply the science and practice of psychology to the fundamental problems of human welfare and social justice. He was co-founder and executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity, a project that connects research, policy analysis and communications with on-the-ground activism to advance health equity. He also was co-director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leadership National Program Center.

Also as part of the VCU event, there will be a tribute to Audrey Smedley, Ph.D., Brian Smedley’s mother and a former VCU College of Humanities and Sciences faculty member and pioneering African American anthropologist who passed away in October.

The event is presented by the College of Humanities and Sciences at VCU and is co-sponsored by the Black Education Association and the College of Humanities and Sciences Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee.