Ten Years of Open Doors: Honoring Dr. Lisa Fortuna
This year, Dr. Lisa Fortuna was awarded the Dr. Pedro Ruiz Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry—a recognition that feels both monumental and deeply fitting. For those of us who have had the privilege of being mentored by her, this honor reflects not only a career of national leadership but a lifetime of quietly and consistently opening doors for others.
My own journey with Dr. Fortuna began nearly a decade ago. As a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellow at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, I had the opportunity to collaborate with her on a presentation at the AACAP Annual Meeting, where we shared community-based insights and research on supporting unaccompanied Latino immigrant youth. Although she was in Boston at the time, we were both collaborating with the same non-profit organization based in Philly, La Puerta Abierta, whose CEO, Cathy Tillman, brought us together. At the time, I did not fully grasp how pivotal that moment would become in my professional career. What I did feel, even then, was her ability to make space—space for emerging voices, for culturally grounded knowledge, and for work that bridges research with lived community realities.
That initial connection became the foundation for continued collaboration…
That initial connection became the foundation for continued collaboration, including contributions to multiple scholarly publications on immigrant mental health, culturally responsive care, and systems-level advocacy (I have shared a few below). These include peer-reviewed articles and chapters that have helped shape our understanding and support of vulnerable youth and families across clinical and community settings. Each project carried Dr. Fortuna’s signature approach: rigorous, collaborative, and deeply human.
Her leadership extends far beyond individual mentorship. Dr. Fortuna has served in influential roles within the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA), helping to elevate issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our field. As an organizational leader at institutions such as UCSF and UC Riverside, she has built programs and pathways that continue to expand access, representation, and innovation in mental health care.
And yet, what stands out most is not just what she has built—but how she has done it.
Dr. Fortuna mentors in a way that is both intentional and generous. She holds our hands when we are unsure, elevates our spirits when we doubt ourselves, and consistently reminds us—through both words and action—that we are capable, that our work matters, and that we belong in spaces that were not always designed with us in mind. Her mentorship is not transactional; it is transformational.
The collaborations I’ve had the honor to be part of—presentations, publications, and shared advocacy—are only a small reflection of the countless individuals she has guided along similar paths. Across the country, there are clinicians, researchers, and leaders who carry forward her influence, each one a testament to her commitment to lifting others as she climbs.
Receiving the Dr. Pedro Ruiz Lifetime Achievement Award is a celebration of Dr. Fortuna’s extraordinary contributions to psychiatry. But for many of us, it is also something more personal: a moment to recognize the mentor who saw us early, invested deeply in us, and helped us become who we are today.
Dr. Fortuna didn’t just open doors. She taught us how to walk through them—and how to hold them open for others.
And that may be her greatest legacy of all.
With deep gratitude and admiration,
Barbara Robles‑Ramamurthy, MD
Collaboration Highlights:
Improving Systems of Care for Immigrant and Refugee Girls. Published 2026.
Book Chapter: Migrant and Refugee Mental Health. Textbook of Community Psychiatry. Published 2022.
