Jeffrey Stovall, MD, professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt Health, has been appointed to the Metropolitan Board of Health of Nashville and Davidson County for a term expiring July 9, 2026. His appointment received a unanimous vote among Metropolitan Council members present.
“I am fortunate to have benefited from public institutions — Hillsboro High School in Nashville; the University of Tennessee for medical school; and University of Illinois Chicago for residency,” Stovall said. “This is a way for me to participate in the community from which I have benefited.”
A Vanderbilt Health faculty member since 2008, Stovall spent his career working extensively in community psychiatry and primary care settings. He has also served as a consultant to the Ministry of Health of Vietnam and has conducted psychiatric evaluations of individuals seeking asylum in the United States. His academic work focuses on community-based systems of care for individuals with severe mental illness, as well as early episode psychosis and schizophrenia.
“We were fortunate to recruit Dr. Stovall back to Nashville. He is a highly skilled clinician and very effective teacher. I could not imagine a better person to represent mental health services on the Board of Health,” said Stephan Heckers, MD, MSc, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and holder of the William P. and Henry B. Test Chair in Schizophrenia Research and the Donald and Charlotte Test Clinical Directorship in Psychosis Programs.
Stovall brings more than 35 years of clinical experience to the board. During the appointment meeting, he highlighted his recent service on the mayor’s Behavioral Health and Wellness Advisory Council, where he contributed to opioid settlement planning and other community behavioral-health initiatives.
“Dr. Jeffrey Stovall has shown a strong commitment to our community through his volunteer work with the Vanderbilt Law School Immigration Clinic, which I direct,” said Alvaro Manrique Barrenechea, JD, LLM, assistant clinical professor of Law. “He and his team have provided critical trauma evaluations for our clients and helped students better understand trauma-informed practice. His blend of clinical expertise, compassion and education makes him an excellent addition to the Metropolitan Board of Health.”
With his appointment, Stovall joins three other Vanderbilt faculty members currently serving on the seven-member Metropolitan Board of Health: Marie Griffin, MD, MPH, professor emerita of Health Policy; Morgan McDonald, MD, assistant clinical professor of Medicine; and Carol Ziegler, DNP, professor of Nursing.
“Jeff Stovall has dedicated his career to improving the treatment of people with serious mental illness,” said Heather Ward, MD, assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “He has decades of experience providing psychiatric care in a variety of academic and community settings and always puts a patient’s health and well-being first. We are very lucky to have him on the faculty at Vanderbilt Health and in this new role influencing health policy in our city.”
Vanderbilt Health has a long history of involvement with the board. Notably, Alex Jahangir, MD, MMHC, professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medicine and Health Policy, served as board chair during the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing key aspects of the city’s public health response.
Stovall’s appointment strengthens Vanderbilt Health’s connection to our community, adding expertise in psychiatric care and community mental health systems.
“As a practicing physician, I have come to understand that the health of one individual is woven into the overall health of our community,” Stovall said.
