Who We Are

Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, a psychiatrist from Atlanta, has diverse experience as a private practicing physician, county public health officer, patient advocate and medical society lobbyist. Dr. Harris was the 174th President of the American Medical Association, the first African American woman elected to that position and is currently the Immediate Past President of the AMA.

Beyond the AMA she has held positions of leadership with the American Psychiatric Association, the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association, the Medical Association of Georgia, and The Big Cities Health Coalition, where she chaired this forum composed of leaders from America’s largest metropolitan health departments. She is a member of the Steering Committee of the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI) and the Board of the Georgia Aids Coalition.  She has also served on the Boards of Georgia NAMI and the Mental Health Association of Georgia.

Dr. Harris has been a speaker at national and international conferences and has given invited lectures and presentations on COVID-19, children’s mental health, childhood trauma, integration of mental health into overall health services, health equity, health policy and the intersection of athletics and health. She has been a guest expert on multiple national radio and television shows. Dr. Harris has received numerous awards in recognition of her service and leadership.

A fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Dr. Harris continues in private practice and currently consults with both public and private organizations on health service delivery and emerging trends in practice and health policy. She is an adjunct assistant professor in the Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and an adjunct clinical assistant professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine.