Dr. Andrea Wittenborn is Professor of Human Development and Family Studies and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Michigan State University. She is currently the Director of the Couple and Family Therapy Doctoral Program at Michigan State University. In this position, she oversees the academic program, program accreditation, and administration of the Michigan State University Couple and Family Therapy Clinic, a mental health clinic serving the East Lansing-Lansing metropolitan area.
Prior to her current position, she served as the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies where she administered seven graduate degree and certificate programs. Her transformational leadership in this role contributed to her department receiving the Outstanding Graduate Program Community Award at Michigan State University. Dr. Wittenborn has served in additional capacities including on NIH grant review panels, the board of directors for her national professional association, the state of Michigan licensing and regulatory board, strategic planning delegations in her college and scientific community, advisory and editorial boards of peer-reviewed journals, and as an accreditation site visitor. In addition, she was co-editor of the recent decade review issue in her discipline’s flagship peer-reviewed journal.
Dr. Wittenborn’s research aims to improve treatment for depression. As a clinical researcher, she conducts randomized controlled trials to test the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions that target interpersonal mechanisms of depression. She also examines methods for personalizing treatment for depression. Her research has been funded by NIH and private foundations and has been recognized with multiple awards. Dr. Wittenborn has chaired over 20 graduate theses and dissertations. Her students have received numerous awards for their outstanding research and have gone on to pursue academic positions. Her dedication to research mentorship was honored with the Excellence in Graduate Student Advising Award.
Dr. Wittenborn received her Ph.D. from Purdue University in human development and family studies, completed a Ph.D. internship at the University of Pennsylvania in psychiatry, and was on the faculty at Virginia Tech prior to joining Michigan State University in 2014.