McLean’s Board of Trustees Welcomes Four New Members

Connie Hadley, PhD, lecturer in the Management and Organizations Department at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, and Nicholas Zeppos, JD, chancellor emeritus and distinguished university professor of law and political science at Vanderbilt University, Richard Holbrook, retired, and Husseini Manji, MD, FRCPC, global head for Johnson & Johnson Science for Minds, have joined McLean Hospital’s Board of Trustees. They all cited their personal interests in mental health, professional backgrounds, and McLean’s reputation as an outstanding institution as reasons for their involvement.

Scott L. Rauch, MD, McLean’s president and psychiatrist in chief, said he is elated and energized by this new slate of trustees, who bring diverse backgrounds as well as extensive pertinent expertise to the board.

“At this moment of crisis, with burgeoning demand for mental health services, there has also never been a time of greater opportunity for growth and innovation in psychiatry and neuroscience. Hence, the guidance, support, and oversight from our board has never been more vital,” Rauch said. “Their experience and knowledge will be of enormous help to us as we look forward to amplifying McLean’s positive impact in the world and advancing the field together.”

Connie Hadley, PhD

Hadley said her interest in mental health developed through personal experience with members of her own family as well as her work in academia.

“Unfortunately, I see firsthand the rising tide of mental health concerns in student populations, especially undergraduates, in my faculty role,” said Hadley. “As a board member, I hope to support McLean’s efforts to meet the needs of adolescents and young adults so that fewer of them experience serious mental health issues in the future.”

Previously, as a management consultant at McKinsey, Hadley worked with leadership teams at Fortune 500 companies to improve their strategy, operations, and talent management processes. Currently, as an organizational psychologist, she studies and teaches topics such as leadership, teamwork, and negotiations. Her most recent research demonstrates how teams can engage successfully, even while some or all members are remote. She has research underway about loneliness at work, which has been a growing problem during the pandemic.

“I hope that my understanding of these and other workplace topics can be useful to McLean as a board member,” Hadley said. “I admire the approach that McLean takes to mental health and the extraordinary effort everyone is putting in. I’m grateful for the chance to contribute directly.”

Nicholas Zeppos, JD

Nicholas Zeppos, JD, said his interest in science, research, and the “bench-to-bedside” discoveries and treatment that are part of McLean’s mission drew him to serve on the hospital’s board. He added that McLean’s “status as the top-ranked stand-alone psychiatric hospital in the U.S. and the way it prioritizes the treatment of mental health issues” were compelling.

Like Hadley, Zeppos witnessed people in his life struggle with mental health challenges and access to treatment—members of his own family, as well as Vanderbilt’s faculty, staff, students, and their families.

“It just was really stunning to me that so many people have encountered it in their lives,” he said.

Vanderbilt has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to become a leader in neuroscience research. Zeppos served as chancellor at the university from 2008-2019, where he helped lead GO THERE, a campus-wide campaign to foster a culture of openness, reflection, and dialogue about mental health at the university. During his tenure, he appointed a committee to review all campus mental health resources and identify any changes necessary to reduce stigma around these services.

Zeppos plans to bring his experience in those realms to his work on McLean’s board.

“I’ve learned that the difference you make is by empowering and supporting, in every way, the people who do the hard work that makes a difference in the lives of others: the collective of care providers, nurses, psychologists, and physicians. I feel very lucky to have this opportunity.”

Richard Holbrook

Holbrook retired in 2016 as chairman and chief executive of Eastern Bank and Eastern Bank Corporation. He has a longtime interest in health care, nurtured through decades of serving on healthcare boards including 16 years as a trustee of North Shore Medical Center, a member of the Mass General Brigham Board of Directors for nine years until July 2020, and chair of Allways Health Partners.

Health equity and parity for mental health treatment are top concerns, and he hopes as a trustee to make a difference in these areas. “There are some incredible, evidence-based programs at McLean that are not yet covered by insurance, and I’m hoping we can make a difference in advocating for coverage on par with that of medical and surgical services,” he said. “It’s an issue of access, affordability, and making sure all communities, especially those that are underserved, are treated equitably.”

Husseini Manji, MD, FRCPC

Manji is the global head for Johnson & Johnson Science for Minds, a new initiative that aims to catalyze the development of novel therapeutics and improved solutions for patients with neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. As an internationally renowned psychiatrist and neuroscience researcher, he has collaborated with McLean investigators and long admired McLean’s mission and capabilities. “As a trustee, I would be honored to share my experiences across both industry and academia to help McLean turn research discoveries into clinical advances for patients.”