Joyce Nortey and Dante Cicchetti Receive the 2026 Psychology Distinguished Alumni Awards
Psychology's Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize our alumni's many and varied achievements. For some alumni, especially our PhD alumni, the awards may recognize achievements in research and scholarship, or they may recognize leadership in their chosen professions, as well as notable humanitarian efforts. The criteria for these awards are inclusive and capture the diversity of distinguished achievements by individuals educated in our department.
Joyce H.N. Nortey, MPH MSBH, recipient of the 2026 Psychology Undergraduate Distinguished Alumni Award, works at the intersection of clinical research, digital health, and patient advocacy. She is the Senior Director of Clinical Research & Operations at Evidation Health and a Research Advisor to The Fibroid Foundation, where she helps design large-scale, patient-centered research programs leveraging digital technologies and real-world data to improve health outcomes. With a background spanning digital health, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, Joyce specializes in decentralized and hybrid clinical trials that prioritize accessibility and real-world impact. She is particularly focused on integrating patient-generated health data to drive more inclusive and effective research.
Joyce serves on the Board of the University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions and Bay Area Young Survivors. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and both an MPH and MS in Behavioral Health from the University of San Francisco. She is passionate about advancing clinical research models that are more equitable, scalable, and reflective of diverse communities.
Dante Cicchetti, PhD, recipient of the 2026 Psychology Graduate Distinguished Alumni Award, is a pioneering figure in the field of Developmental Psychopathology and Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development. His scholarship has fundamentally advanced understanding of the dynamic interplay among biological, psychological, and social processes in shaping developmental pathways to mental health and disorder. Trained in clinical and developmental psychology, Cicchetti has articulated an integrative, multilevel framework that bridges neuroscience, genetics, and environmental context.
He is internationally recognized for his research on child maltreatment, resilience, and the enduring effects of early adversity. As founder of the Mt. Hope Family Center in Rochester, New York, Cicchetti directed landmark longitudinal investigations elucidating pathways from risk to adaptation. His work has emphasized both vulnerability and protective processes, thereby informing prevention and intervention efforts for high-risk populations.
Cicchetti also founded and served for 36 years as editor of the journal Development and Psychopathology. He has authored and edited numerous influential volumes and articles and has been the recipient of many prestigious honors, including lifetime achievement awards from major psychological organizations. His contributions have established developmental psychopathology as a central framework for understanding mental health across the lifespan.
