Biography

L. Patt Franciosi, Ph.D., has been a nationally and internationally recognized leader in the mental health advocacy movement for more than 30 years. She is the Past President of the World Federation for Mental Health. The Federation, founded in 1948, is the oldest and largest non-governmental advocacy organization that includes membership from all the mental health professions, together with consumers and carers. Prior to serving as President of WFMH, Dr. Franciosi was its Regional Vice President for North America and the English-speaking Caribbean and Chair of the Federation’s global education campaign World Mental Health Day.

She has held a number of leadership positions in the United States, serving as President of the Mental Health Association in Minnesota, President of the National Mental Health Association, and Chair of the National Prevention Coalition. Dr. Franciosi has received two appointments from United States Presidents: one to the National Institute of Mental Health Advisory Council and the other to the United States Health and Human Services Secretary’s Council on Promotion and Disease Prevention. She has received numerous awards for her work in mental health advocacy and human rights. She is listed in Who’s Who in American Women, and recently received the Distinguished Alumna Award from Marquette University.

Originally trained in psychiatric nursing, Dr. Franciosi holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Marquette University, where she has worked as a psychologist with young adults. She has also held academic appointments at Metropolitan State University in Minnesota, Alverno College in Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Dr. Franciosi is frequently invited to speak on a range of mental health advocacy, public policy and service system topics, with particular emphasis on child and adolescent mental health, mental health issues affecting women and human rights.