Candidate for 2026 Area 5 Trustee

Biography

A dedicated clinician and visionary leader, Dr. Cochran has built her career on a foundation of compassionate, evidence-based patient care with a drive to advance psychiatry. Medically trained at University of Louisville School of Medicine, she chose psychiatry to make a tangible difference in patients' lives.

Her career is defined by a practical, proactive approach to clinical challenges, a commitment to fellow physicians, and a drive to accomplish the needed tasks. Early on, when her residency, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, did not offer electroconvulsive treatment, she found mentors to master ECT, ensuring her patients would have access to critical care. She negotiated a seat in a healthcare management course at Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Business, to ensure knowledge for long term practice success. After residency, she served diverse populations in rural areas, nursing facilities, intensive outpatient and partial programs, outpatient clinics, and inpatient units, all while navigating the real-world pressures of paying off large student loans.

She identified the transformative potential of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in 2008 and immersed herself in learning the early research, and became an early adopter of the technology. Her leadership didn’t stop at clinical implementation; she successfully championed insurance coverage nationwide, to ensure accessibility for patients. Her expertise and advocacy culminated in her leadership as president of the Clinical TMS Society, where she co-founded the PULSES international certification course, establishing a global standard for training which she directed in over twenty-one venues worldwide.

Dr. Cochran transformed her well-respected boutique practice after ten years to Synaptic PSYCH, a physician-owned and operated multi-site clinic which accepts in-network insurance to help improve patient access. She now leads as President/Chief Medical Officer, mentoring the younger physician-psychiatrists and leading an internal educational program to fill the educational gaps for non-physician team members. In 2021, she co-founded a management service organization to support the practice’s growth.

Today, she continues to be a fierce advocate for her profession. Via the APA, she has been a collaborative Assembly force, authoring many Action Papers of relevance, including one to develop the now 570+ member, Caucus on Neuromodulation. Locally, she’s helping to revitalize Tennessee Psychiatric Association, championing crucial initiatives (Collaborative Care Model, Safe Prescribing Practices, and legislation to recruit/retain doctors in TN).

Her career demonstrates a steadfast dedication to her roles as a team leader, an educator, and an advocate for the advancement of psychiatrists, their teams, and their patients.

Education

• Centre College, B.S. Degree (1984-1988)
• University of Louisville, School of Medicine (1988-1992)
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry (1992-1996)
• Co-chief Resident (1995-1996)
• Vanderbilt University, Owen School of Management. Management Program (1995-1996)

Awards and Honors

• Centre College Alumni Scholarship Award (1984-1988)
• Dr. E. R. Palmer Memorial Scholarship (1989)
• Joseph Collins Foundation Award (1990, 1991)
• Joel Elkes MD, The Physician, & Arts Award. Honorable Mention (1989, 1991)
• Dr. S. Spafford Ackerly Award. Most Outstanding Student Entering Psychiatry Residency (1992)
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Distinguished Service Award (1996)
• APA Distinguished Fellow induction (2018)
• CTMSS President’s Award (2019)
• APA Distinguished Life Fellow (2021)
• CTMSS Fellow Inaugural class (2022)
• CTMSS Legacy Award (2024)