Douglas Ziedonis

Professor Douglas Ziedonis is a physician-executive, public health leader, addiction psychiatrist, researcher and educator with more than four decades of experience dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities. His work focuses on health equity, innovation and education, including the potential of emerging technologies such as AI and digital health to address challenges in healthcare.

He has more than 26 years of senior executive leadership experience across major academic health centres. His previous positions include CEO of the University of New Mexico Health System, Associate Vice Chancellor at the University of California San Diego, and Chair of Psychiatry and President of UMMBHS at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine and UMass Memorial Health Care. He has also held numerous board leadership roles in healthcare and higher education.

Professor Ziedonis currently serves as Adjunct Professor at Stanford University and Visiting Professor at Riga Stradins University in Riga, Latvia. He has previously held faculty positions at Yale University, Princeton Theological Seminary and Rutgers University.

He is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry and has extensive clinical, teaching and research experience in behavioural health. He completed his residency training in Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry at UCLA.

Throughout his career, Professor Ziedonis has worked to translate ideas into practical solutions through healthcare innovation, public health initiatives, research, education and interdisciplinary collaboration. His work emphasises the role of collaboration and innovation in creating sustainable approaches to healthier and more equitable societies.