Candidate for 2026 Area 5 Trustee

Biography

Dr. Newkirk is an accomplished forensic psychiatrist with over 40 years of experience in clinical practice and mental health administration. Currently serving as Chief Clinical Officer at Recovery Solutions, she oversees behavioral health services for public entities.

Dr. Newkirk has gained a wealth of knowledge in the clinical practice of psychiatry in the private as well as public settings. She has a wealth of experience in mental health administration and as a forensic psychiatrist. Her forensic experience includes having worked directly with patients in jails and prisons, served as an expert witness in prison litigation cases to lead administrative roles in carceral settings. Her professional background encompasses several years of psychiatric practice in Atlanta, faculty appointments at Emory University and Morehouse School of Medicine, and leadership roles in public psychiatry within correctional institutions and community mental health settings. She has served in directorial capacities at the Georgia Department of Corrections, Philadelphia Prison System, and Rikers Island Penitentiary to name a few.

Dr. Newkirk’s leadership extends to several professional organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, Black Psychiatrists of America, and the American Correctional Health Services Association. She has also served as President of both the Florida Psychiatric Society and the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Associations. She chaired several committees in both the Georgia and Florida District Branches and has served on several committees and councils within the American Psychiatric Association. Most recently she served as the Chair of the Selection Committee for the APA Foundation Public Psychiatry fellowship as well as Reference Committee Chair in the APA Assembly for the last several years. She is active in the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Meadows Foundation.

Her varied experiences in the private and public sectors created the motivation for her to better understand the business of medicine. To this end, she earned an MBA in Health Care Management from Regis University. Because of this education as well as practical experiences of working and leading in several different settings she has developed her skills in leadership which leads her to a deep desire to share her knowledge with Psychiatry residents, Fellows, and early career psychiatrists. She has been able to foster her mentorship role within several organizations as well as in her leadership role in the workplace. She is an adamant believer that psychiatrists must understand the business of medicine in order to oversee the practices and foster the growth of the profession.

Education

• B.S. in Black Studies, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (1973)
• M.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (1978)
• M.B.A., Health Care Management, Regis University, Denver, Colorado (2007)

Internship

• Pediatrics, Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C. (1978-1979)

Residency

• Psychiatry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (1979-1982)
• Chief Resident in Psychiatry, Emory University (1981-1982)

Awards and Honors

• Public Service Award, Florida Psychiatric Society 
• Psychiatrist of the Year, Georgia Psychiatric Physicians' Association
• Andrea Delgado Memorial Lecturer, Black Psychiatrists of America
• Issac Slaughter Leadership Award, Black Psychiatrists of America
• Distinguished Life Fellow, American Psychiatric Association