The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences has established two new leadership positions to provide vision and leadership to promote an equitable, anti-racist and inclusive culture within the department and in partnership with other entities across the Duke School of Medicine and Duke Health.
Ernestine Briggs-King, PhD, an associate professor, will serve as director of diversity, equity and inclusion, and Annise Weaver, MSEd, CRC, director of clinical operations, will serve as associate director.
In their new roles, they’ll have dedicated time to:
- Lead a departmental council comprised of faculty, staff and learners who will develop, prioritize and implement strategic initiatives related to the department’s clinical, research and education missions.
- Coordinate with department leaders to implement effective strategies for the recruitment, mentorship, promotion and retention of diverse faculty, staff and learners.
- Serve as liaisons and consultants on topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Assess the effectiveness of programs and related initiatives and provide regular reports on progress toward goals.
“We have the utmost confidence that their leadership will help us make significant progress toward dismantling racism and creating an equitable, inclusive culture in our department and in the School of Medicine in the coming weeks, months and years.”
— Moira Rynn, MD, Department Chair
“We’re incredibly grateful to Dr. Briggs-King and Annise for taking on these new roles in addition to the many other hats they wear in their respective positions,” said Moira Rynn, MD, department chair. “We have the utmost confidence that their leadership will help us make significant progress toward dismantling racism and creating an equitable, inclusive culture in our department and in the School of Medicine in the coming weeks, months and years.”
Learn more about Dr. Briggs-King and Annise:
Ernestine Briggs-King, PhD
Dr. Briggs-King, a clinical/community psychologist, is the Director of Research at the Center for Child and Family Health (CCFH), Director of the Data and Evaluation Program at the UCLA-Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, and an Associate Professor in our department. As part of her current work, she’s involved in the implementation, dissemination, and evaluation of evidence-based practices aimed at reducing the negative effects associated with maltreatment and child traumatic stress. She has extensive expertise in cultural, gender and systemic issues.
Dr. Briggs-King has received several academic and community-based awards for her work in developing prevention programs in communities of color. Her clinical and research interests over the past 20 years have included resiliency, reducing disparities, increasing mental health access in marginalized communities, chronic adversity and traumatic stress. Over the last several years, she has participated on several boards, task forces and committees and gained significant organizational, state-wide and national experience in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion and dismantling racism.
Annise Weaver, MSEd, CRC
Annise Weaver has more than fifteen years of experience developing initiatives that better serve diverse populations. Prior to joining Duke, Annise spearheaded programs to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion training for staff, students and patients. She was part of the Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers of New York State Cultural Competency Executive Committee for five years.
At Duke, Annise has been a leader in working to combat systemic racism in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences. Annise spent this summer collaborating with colleagues in the department’s Systemic Racism & Injustice Work Group to develop a plan for creating a more equitable community in the department. In addition, she co-facilitates support groups for underrepresented faculty, staff and learners. As Associate Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, she will continue to bring the most current research and training on equity and inclusion to the department.
Learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion at Duke and in the department.