Centerstone names Richard Shelton its Chief Science Officer, Jennifer Lockman its Chief Executive Officer of Research Institute

Centerstone recently announced that Richard C. Shelton, MD, has been named the chief science officer for the organization and Jennifer Lockman, PhD, will take over as chief executive officer for Centerstone’s Research Institute. Both positions are effective June 1.

Dr. Shelton served as chief executive officer for the Research Institute for three years, during which time he elevated the role of science in the care being delivered around the nation. A graduate of the University of Louisville Medical School, he is currently the Charles Byron Ireland Professor, Vice Chair for Research, and head of the Mood Disorders Research Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“As the field of behavioral health care continues to evolve, the role of science and technology will only continue to play a major role in finding innovative ways to care for our clients,” Dr. Shelton said. “In this position, I look forward to continuing my research on the development of new treatments for depression and bipolar disorder, including the identification of new targets for treatment, prevention of serious mental illnesses, testing novel therapies and identifying biomarkers of both disease and treatment response.”

Dr. Lockman joined Centerstone in 2007 and most recently oversaw the Research Institute’s clinical research program, serving as a liaison with external researchers and creating new methods for measuring clinical outcomes. After completing her PhD in counseling psychology from Purdue University, she completed her psychology internship at the University of Rochester Medical Center and a competitive research postdoctoral fellowship at the VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention. Dr. Lockman has a professional expertise in implementation science and maintains a research program and professional practice in suicide prevention.

“I am very honored and proud to have this opportunity to follow in Dr. Shelton’s illustrious footsteps and lead the Research Institute,” Dr. Lockman said. “At the Research Institute, our goal is to use science and technology to ensure our clients are receiving evidence-based care for their mental health needs. We are developing new strategies to translate research to practice quickly, ensuring that all clients are receiving treatment that is informed by the very best that science has to offer. Our work also supports Centerstone’s talented workforce in delivering evidence-based care that changes people’s lives.”