Jill Harkavy-Friedman

A pioneer in suicide research, she was the first researcher to ask high school students about suicidal ideation and behavior. Dr. Jill Harkavy-Friedman leads the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s growing research grant program. She works with over 200 scientific advisors to evaluate progress in the field and chart the next areas of inquiry to yield impactful insights and strategies for suicide prevention.

In her more than 35 years of experience as both a clinician and a researcher, she has always been passionate about translating research into practice. Harkavy-Friedman has published over 100 articles, and she works closely with AFSP’s Education, Communication, and Public Policy and Advocacy teams to develop programs and messages to ensure they follow best practices in suicide prevention and reflect the latest findings in research.

She has appeared as an expert in the Washington Post, USA Today, Newsweek, and other publications. Harkavy-Friedman earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and her master’s degree and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Florida.

In 1984, she joined Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine as an assistant professor where she established the Adolescent Depression and Suicide Program. In 1989, Harkavy-Friedman moved to Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute, first as an assistant professor and later as an associate professor of clinical psychology, in psychiatry. As a licensed psychologist, she maintains a clinical practice in Manhattan.