Dear Community Partners, Faculty, Staff, Learners, and Friends,
We are writing today to express our deepest gratitude and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of Dr. Anthony Guerrero as he concludes his service as Chair of the JABSOM Department of Psychiatry.
For over 13 years, Dr. Guerrero has guided the Department of Psychiatry with unwavering dedication, overseeing significant growth and navigating the evolving landscape of psychiatry and behavioral health care. His impact extends far beyond the Department:
Clinical Leadership: For the past 4 years, he has also served as Chief of the Psychiatry Clinical Program at The Queen's Health Systems, an integral role following the JABSOM and Queen’s academic affiliation in 2021.
Education: His commitment to training the next generation is unparalleled. He served for seven years as Program Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship. He graciously stepped into the vital role of Program Director for the General Psychiatry Residency in July 2024.
Service Across Hawai‘i: Dr. Guerrero's profound work ethic is evident in his widespread clinical care, delivered in person or via telehealth to numerous sites across the state, including The Queen’s Medical Center, Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital, Moloka‘i General Hospital, and rural and correctional facilities.
We are profoundly grateful that Dr. Guerrero will continue his vital dedication to our core mission by serving as the Program Director for the General Psychiatry Residency and as the Associate Program Director for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship. These roles are central to the department’s future success and reflect his deep, unwavering compassion for our patients, residents, and fellows.
We are also pleased to announce that Dr. Deborah Goebert, DrPH, will serve as the Interim Psychiatry Department Chair, effective December 1, 2025.
Dr. Goebert is a respected tenured Professor and a long-time leader in the Department, serving as the Associate Chair of Research. She is a recognized expert in youth-centered, cultural approaches to suicide prevention and has been instrumental in the Research Division's success, which has been awarded over $28 million in extramural funding from federal sources (NIMH, CDC, etc.) over the past 25 years. She co-directs the Hawaii’s Caring Communities/Systems Initiative for Youth Suicide Prevention, is the Director of the National Center for Indigenous Hawaiian Behavioral Health, co-directs the Pacific Addiction Research Center, and also worked as a Senior Scientist at The Queen’s Medical Center. Her leadership will ensure stability and continued focus on our academic missions.
Simultaneously, Dr. Gerard (Jerry) Livaudais and Dr. Sondra Leiggi-Brandon have stepped in as the leads of the Clinical Program to oversee operational transitions and will work closely with Dr. Goebert and the department leadership team to ensure a strong balance between academic and clinical operations.
With Dr. Goebert’s transition to the Interim Department Chair position, we are also pleased to announce that Dr. Jane Onoye will become the Interim Associate Chair for Research and that Dr. Allison Lawler will become the Interim Associate Chair for Clinical Affairs, in addition to her role as an Associate Program Director for the General Psychiatry Residency program.
This transition, which includes embarking on a national search for a new person who will serve as the JABSOM Department Chair and The Queen’s Health Systems Clinical Program Chief, is driven by a shared, critical goal: to accelerate strategic service and geographic expansion and strengthen our position to meet the critical and pressing need for expanded psychiatric and behavioral health services across the state.
We recognize that this need is particularly acute in our neighbor islands and rural O‘ahu communities. Our collective strength—the JABSOM academic mission, the Clinical Program at Queen's, and the tireless efforts of all our faculty, residents, and fellows—is the foundation upon which we will build this expansion.
The success of the department's core mission is uniquely fulfilled through the strength of its training programs. JABSOM and Queen’s remain steadfastly committed to ensuring our clinical learning and scholarly activity not only survive but truly thrive through close collaboration.
We look forward to working together to strengthen all departmental missions and achieve our shared vision of better serving the mental health needs of the people of Hawai‘i.
