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Biography
Dr. Best is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor with Tenure in the Department of Psychiatry. As a senior faculty member at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center (NCVC), Dr. Best has served as the Director of Adult Services since 1985. Dr. Best has been the Principal Investigator on 10 grants and Co-Investigator on 18 others from funding sources such as NIMH, NIDA, DOD, HRSA, DOJ, DVA, and SAMHSA. She has an extensive list of scientific publications and invited presentations before national audiences. She has served on numerous National Advisory Committees (e.g., the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine; the Joint NIMH/DOD/DOJ Mental Health and Mass Violence Consensus Committee; the Secretary of Defense Advisory Committee on Women; the International Association of Chiefs of Police). The focus of her research, teaching, and clinical work is in the areas of the effects of psychological trauma, criminal victimization, military-related trauma, and natural disasters. Dr. Best has also been actively involved in the psychological effects of terrorism and has been an investigator on a HRSA-funded bio-terrorism and a NIMH disaster and terrorism grant. In 2007, she gave invited testimony before the U.S. Senate Veterans Affair Committee on the mental health needs of our returning veterans. Along with her colleagues at the NCVC, in 2017 Dr. Best received a $17.8 M grant from the DOJ's Office for Victims of Crime to establish a national Mass Violence Resource Center. Although she has received many honors, one that holds special meaning to her is one in 1996 when she received the President's Award for Outstanding Service on Behalf of Victims of Crime presented by President Clinton and U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.