Chancellor’sJohnJ.CongerLectureship andVisitingProfessorship
atPediatricGrandRounds
Friday April19,2024
12:30–1:30p.m.
Mt.Oxford
2ndFloorConferenceCenter Children’sHospitalColorado VirtualOptionLink: https://bit.ly/PedsGR24
“WhatReallyWorksfor Children:APopulation MentalHealthApproach”
KellyJ.Kelleher,MD,MPH
SponsoredbytheDepartmentsofPediatricsandPsychiatry attheUniversityofColoradoSchoolofMedicine.
JohnJ.Conger,PhD,wasagiftedleaderwhojoinedtheUniversityof ColoradoSchoolofMedicineasaprofessorofclinicalpsychologyin1953. Hededicated24yearsofhiscareerinvaryingcapacitiesrangingfromchief oftheDivisionofClinicalPsychologyintheDepartmentofPsychiatryto deanoftheSchoolofMedicine,vice-presidentformedicalaffairs,and actingchancelloroftheHealthSciencesCenter.
BeforecomingtoColorado,CongergraduatedfromYaleUniversityand servedintheU.S.NavyduringWorldWarIIasthecommanderofa destroyerescortattheageof25.AfterreceivinghisPhDinclinical psychologyfromYaleUniversityin1948andservingonthefacultyof IndianaUniversityin1951,hewasnamedthefirstchiefpsychologistofthe U.S.NavalAcademy.
Adistinguishedscholarandresearcher,Congerfocusedmuchofhiscareer onchildmentalhealthpolicyandtheoverwhelminggapbetweendiagnosis andtreatmentofmentalhealthproblems.Hewastheco-authorofthe mostinfluentialtextbooksonchildandadolescentdevelopmentofhis generationandreceivedanawardforDistinguishedContributionstoPublic PolicyforChildrenfromtheSocietyforResearchinChildDevelopment.His researchled,amongotherareas,tohisinvolvementwiththePresidential TaskForceonHighwaySafety,settingstandardsformotorvehiclesafety includingseatbelts,airbags,collapsiblesteeringcolumnsandimproved highwaydesign.
Congerservedonnumerousprestigiousnationalandinternational committeesincludingPresidentCarter’sCommissiononMentalHealth.He wasalsopresidentoftheAmericanPsychologicalAssociationandchairman ofanadvisorycommitteeattheJohnF.KennedyCenteronEducationand HumanDevelopment.From1959–61,hewasspecialconsultanttothe DivisionofResearchGrantsfortheNationalInstitutesofHealth.AttheJohn D.andCatherineT.MacArthurFoundation,Congerservedasvice-president anddirectoroftheHealthProgram.
CongerwasamemberoftheGovernor’sCommitteeonMentalHealthfor ColoradoandchairmanfortheMentalHealthAdvisoryGroupforthe ColoradoDepartmentofPublicHealthAssociationfrom1957–61.Healso receivednumerousnotableawardsthroughouthiscareer,includingthe UniversityofColoradoMedalin1986foroutstandingachievementand distinguishedcontributionstothewelfareoftheUniversity,thestateand thenation.
TheChancellor’sJohnJ.CongerLectureshipandVisitingProfessorshipat theUniversityofColoradowasendowedbytheCongerFamilyandBonnie Camp,MD,PhD,tofollowConger’sleadinpromotingawarenessofthe plightofchildrenandfacilitatingcontinuedimprovementinhumanhealth anddevelopment.
KellyJ.Kelleher,MD,MPH
VicePresidentforCommunityHealth
PrincipalInvestigator,CenterforHealthEquity andOutcomesResearch
AbigailWexnerResearchInstituteatNationwide Children’sHospital
DistinguishedProfessorofPediatrics,Psychiatry&PublicH
TheOhioStateUniversityCollegeofMedicine
KellyKelleher,MD,MPH,isadistinguishedprofessorofpediatrics,psychiatryand publichealthatTheOhioStateUniversity,andADS/ChlapatyEndowedChairfor theCenterforChildHealthEquityandOutcomesResearch.Heisalsothevice presidentofcommunityhealthatNationwideChildren'sHospital.Kelleherhas beencontinuouslyfundedbyNIHsinceshortlyaftercompletinghistrainingthree decadesagoandisthesitePIforNationwideChildren’sparticipationinPEDSnet,a multi-specialtynetworkconductingobservationalresearchandclinicaltrialsacross numerouspediatricinstitutions.
Afteryearsofworkingasapediatricianinaclinicsettingandbeingfrustratedby theviolence,housingdisparityandfoodinsecurityheknewwereaffectingthe healthofyoungpatients,hetransitionedfromclinicalcaretopopulation healthcare.Now,heisinvolvedinstrategydevelopmentfortheNationwide Children’sHealthyNeighborhood,HealthyFamilyzonefocusingonneighborhood leaders,communityagenciesandrelatedpartnershipstoimprovehousing, employment,schoolandsafetyontheNearSouthsideofColumbus.Kelleheris proudtoworkmoredirectlyonaddressingthesesocialfactors.Hisworkinthe communitymeansadvocatingeverywherefromthesoupkitchentotheGovernor’s office.Hethoroughlyenjoys,andishonored,tohaveaplaceateitherofthose tables.Kelleherappreciatesworkingwithnationalthoughtleadersonhow communitydevelopmentcanhelpchildreninpoverty.Heisdetermininghow improvedhousing,jobs,economiesandschoolscanleadtobetteroutcomesfor ourkids.Healthcarealonecannotsolvetheseproblems.Ourworkwithbanks, communitydevelopers,organizationsandfaithcommunitieshelpusengagewith residentstohelpthemplantheirfutures.
KelleherreceivedtheInnovationAwardfromColumbusTech(2008),theHealth CareHeroAwardfromBusinessFirst(2008),theChampionofChildrenfromUnited WayofCentralOhio(2014),theMufsonPrizefromColumbiaUniversity(2021)and theHearstHealthPrizeforExcellenceinPopulationHealthfromtheHearst Foundation/DrexelUniversity(2022),amongothers.
“The future of individual families, whatever their form, will depend on... the degree to which we are able collectively to view ourselves as our brothers’ and sisters’, and above all, our children’s keepers –all our children...”
JohnJ.Conger,PhD
Inhispresidentialaddressatthe1981American PsychologicalAssociationAnnualConvention
Forcontributionsormoreinformationabouthowto supporttheChancellor’sJohnJ.CongerLectureship andVisitingProfessorship,pleasecontact:
BrianKusior
AssistantDirectorofDevelopment
UniversityofColoradoAnschutzMedicalCampus
13001E.17thPlace,Ste.WG112Aurora,CO80045
MailStopA065
E:brian.kusior@cuanschutz.edu
P:303.724.8922|C:845.554.4930