Dr. Christine Moutier

Dr. Christine Moutier, a practicing psychiatrist, professor of psychiatry, dean of the medical school, and director of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at the VA Medical Center, is deeply familiar with the devastating impact of suicide. After losing colleagues to suicide, she has committed her career to combat this leading cause of death. She co-founded the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)'s San Diego chapter and has been serving as the Chief Medical Officer of the foundation since 2013. Under her leadership, she has rejuvenated AFSP's Education team, rekindled its Loss & Bereavement department, and widened the foundation's support to encompass those with lived experience of suicide.

Dr. Moutier has borne witness to the urgency of suicide prevention at the highest levels of government and academia. Apart from presenting at the White House and the National Academy of Sciences, she has testified before the U.S. Congress regarding suicide prevention. Beyond these efforts, she played a pivotal role in CNN's Emmy Award-winning Finding Hope suicide prevention town hall as a co-anchor and also authored a clinical handbook on suicide prevention.

Throughout her career, Dr. Moutier has been instrumental in shifting the healthcare system's approach towards mental health by training healthcare leaders, physicians, and patient groups to fight stigma and improve care for those grappling with mental health conditions. She also co-led a successful suicide prevention and depression awareness program at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), featuring AFSP's groundbreaking Interactive Screening Program.

Dr. Moutier's work in the field of suicide prevention has been widely recognized. She has received several awards, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness' Scientific Research Award and the Schwartz Center's National Compassionate Caregiver Award. She continues her patient care and teaching roles at UCSD and regularly provides expert commentary to journalists and top media outlets on the subject of suicide prevention.