The Positive Impact of Women Leadership in Public Sector Settings: A Case Example in Virginia's State Mental Health System

The role of psychology (and ergo, psychologists) within the public sector has shifted considerably over the preceding decades to include increasingly versatile and psychology-adjacent leadership positions. This publication focuses on brief leadership stories within a state mental health system, with an emphasis on the unique roles that women psychologists have advocated for over the years. The authors provide foundational knowledge of this state's mental health system in order to spotlight the ongoing need for effective leadership within this organization, identifying common ethical and public administration challenges, and ultimately using a structured questionnaire with women psychologists within this system to highlight their leadership roles. These stories expand upon the education and training they felt foundational to their growth in these roles, how they advocated for change and navigated organizational challenges, and how they hope their role can inspire junior (women) psychologists to take increasingly active roles in public service leadership.