About Us

At Brown, we're cultivating an institutional culture that centers mental and emotional well-being as essential to complete health.

Leadership

  • Kelly Holder, PhD

    Kelly Holder, PhD

    Chief Well-Being Officer

     

    Dr. Kelly Holder is a clinician, educator, and advocate known for her unwavering commitment to advancing mental health and wellness. She obtained her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Loma Linda University, complemented by a Master's degree in Psychology from the same institution, and a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Oakwood University. Dr. Holder obtained training in HIV Mental Health/Behavioral Medicine through a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. She has served in various academic positions, currently holding the position of Assistant Professor in Medical Sciences at the Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University. With a strong focus on wellness and mental health, Dr. Holder has held significant leadership roles. She serves as the inaugural Chief Well-Being Officer for the Division of Biology & Medicine at Brown University, including the Warren Alpert Medical School and the Program in Biology. Dr. Holder also served as the Assistant Director of Counseling & Psychological Services at Brown University from 2021-2022. Dr. Holder held the inaugural position of Director of the Office for Professional Mental Health at Penn State College of Medicine and Hershey Medical Center, which was grown out of her role as the inaugural Director of the Office of Student Mental Health and Counseling at Penn State College of Medicine. Her career has also included positions within college counseling centers, private practice, and community mental health. Dr. Holder has delivered presentations by invitation at regional, national, and international conferences, covering topics such as burnout in healthcare providers, stress management, and cultivating well-being. She has shared her insights and expertise with diverse audiences, including medical professionals, educators, and community members. With her extensive knowledge, leadership experience, and passion for well-being, Dr. Kelly Holder continues to make significant contributions to the field of clinical psychology and remains committed to creating a culture of well-being within the academic medical community. Dr. Holder believes wellness is primarily determined by systemic, environmental, and cultural factors. The work ahead of us is to create a system-level transformation that will produce a culture of well-being. Wellness is not the job of one person or one office, but a collective team effort.

Mission

The mission of the chief well-being officer is to promote wellness as a core competency for students, faculty, and staff in the Division of Biology and Medicine.  The chief well-being officer serves in an advisory and supportive role to the Division by offering timely and progressive interventions to improve well-being by impacting local culture, systems, policies, and environment.

Vision

Create an institutional culture in which our community members do not have to sacrifice their own well-being to serve others.

Values

The chief well-being officer’s work will be guided by the belief and commitment to: compassion, diversity and inclusion, social justice, integrity, and respect.