Laurie Heatherington, PhD, is a longtime board member and dedicated supporter of Gould Farm, playing a key role in guiding the organization’s mission and vision. Her most significant contributions include her leadership as a director and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, where she has helped shape Gould Farm’s future through thoughtful, long-term planning. Laurie’s commitment to Gould Farm also includes her involvement in an ongoing 25-year outcomes study, a groundbreaking effort to assess the long-term impact of the Farm’s therapeutic community model on guests' mental health and overall well-being. Click here to see a published article presenting data from the first 15 years: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29902024/

Laurie is the Edward Dorr Griffin Professor of Psychology, Emerita, at Williams College, where she served on the faculty since 1984. Her research expertise lies in clinical psychology, particularly in family therapy, therapeutic alliances, and mental health interventions in diverse community settings. With a focus on both domestic and global mental health, her scholarly work has produced numerous influential publications, including recent studies on psychotherapy preferences, systemic therapy, and mental health outcomes in Burundi. She is the Past President of the North American Society for Psychotherapy Research.

Throughout her career, Laurie has demonstrated a deep commitment to outcomes evaluation, striving to understand and improve the effectiveness of mental health treatments in both traditional clinical settings and community-based programs like Gould Farm. Her contributions to the field of psychology, paired with her dedication to fostering meaningful, data-driven mental health care, make her an invaluable asset to Gould Farm’s leadership team. As Co-Chair, Laurie continues to be instrumental in advancing the Farm’s mission of hope, healing, and transformation.