Laine Young-Walker, MD, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, has been awarded the 2026 Presidential Award by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). This award acknowledges individuals and institutions that have significantly contributed to medical education, research, clinical care, and community engagement.

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Young-Walker has been honored with the AAMC Louis W. Sullivan, MD, Award for her leadership in promoting a diverse health care workforce. The award is named after Louis W. Sullivan, who served as the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services from 1989 to 1993 and was the founding dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine. Sullivan also established the Sullivan Alliance, which aims to enhance the quality of the U.S. health care workforce by incorporating underrepresented populations.

Young-Walker has made substantial contributions to the mental health of children and adolescents in Missouri. Her initiatives focus on early childhood intervention, access to child and perinatal psychiatry, trauma-informed care, and support for children in the foster care system. As the principal investigator for over $25 million in federal and state grants, she has implemented evidence-based strategies to improve youth mental health, particularly targeting rural families and those involved in the juvenile justice system.

In 2025, she played a key role in launching the Center for Child Well-Being at Mizzou, which aims to support parents, caregivers, and community organizations in enhancing the mental health of children.

Additionally, Young-Walker served as associate dean for student affairs at the Mizzou School of Medicine from 2016 to 2024, where she initiated admissions reforms to improve the recruitment of students from marginalized backgrounds. Her professional accolades include lifetime membership in the Gold Humanism Honor Society and Alpha Omega Alpha, as well as fellowship in the American College of Psychiatrists and membership in the National Medical Association.