Marlene Brandt
Marlene Brandt graduated from Rutgers in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and earned her MBA at Boston University in 1982. She built a successful career in the information technology industry before dedicating herself full time to raising her family and to her philanthropic interests. A New Jersey resident and longtime supporter of Rutgers, Brandt is an emerita member of Rutgers University Foundation Board of Directors. In 2019, inspired by her growing familiarity with the mental health crisis among America’s youth, Brandt made a gift of $30 million to launch the Rutgers Initiative for Youth Behavioral Health and Well-Being.
“New Jersey has a profound need for a facility that can provide compassionate and effective treatment for teens and young adults with mental health disorders. I am excited to see my vision for such a facility coming to fruition at Rutgers, and I am confident that it will be the gold standard for providing treatment for a particularly vulnerable segment of our population.”
Francine Conway
Francine Conway, Ph.D., an accomplished scholar and clinical psychologist recognized for her work in child psychopathology, is provost and executive vice chancellor of academic affairs at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. She previously was dean of Rutgers’ Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. Conway has treated children with a range of behavioral problems in hospital settings and private practice for more than 20 years. Nationally and internationally recognized for her work on the treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, she has collaborated with colleagues in Sweden, Germany, and London.
“This initiative will provide evidence-based, quality mental health care and support for young people, including youth in underserved and underrepresented communities. It will also foster innovation, research, and training in the field and be a national model of adolescent and young adult behavioral health care.”
Frank A. Ghinassi
Frank A. Ghinassi, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist, is president and CEO of Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. He leads a statewide system of academically based mental health and addiction services, training, and research. He is also a professor at Rutgers’ Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology; an adjunct professor of psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; and an adjunct associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He has published scholarly articles on mood and anxiety disorders, cognitive functioning, and health care performance measurement.
“For too long, New Jersey has lacked comprehensive services for young people with mental health disorders. The Brandt Center will transform behavioral health treatment for adolescents and young adults in the state and serve all those who need help.”