She’s clearing paths for those who follow!

Meet Cindy Crusto, Ph.D., who is breaking barriers as the first Black woman professor in Yale’s Department of Psychiatry — a historic achievement in the Yale School of Medicine. (Yale School of Medicine)

From a young age, Crusto displayed a deep empathy for children and a growing interest in nurturing well-being. Growing up in New Orleans, she assisted at her mother’s Montessori early-care and education center. It was not until her first psychology class as a high school senior that she recognized the spark of her true vocation. From that moment onward, she committed her life work to helping individuals and communities overcome adversity and trauma. (La Data News)

“I think we’re all the product of a cumulation of risks and protective factors. I’ve had my share of both in my life, and I’ve always been interested in how we can prevent or mitigate the impact of some of those negative life experiences,” Crusto has said. (La Data News)

To prepare herself for meaningful impact, she built a broad intellectual foundation: she studied political science, sociology, history, and Africana studies, laying groundwork for a career bridging community psychology and clinical practice. In 1999, she joined Yale through the Doctoral Internship in Clinical & Community Psychology, focusing her early work on the socioeconomic challenges confronting children and families of color. (La Data News; Yale)

Over more than two decades, Crusto rose through the ranks. Recently, she was elevated to Professor of Psychiatry, becoming the first Black woman ever to hold that role in Yale’s psychiatry department. (La Data News; Yale)

Reflecting on her advancement, she shared nuanced feelings about her milestone:

“There were many people who came before me who worked just as hard or harder than me, and so I have complex feelings about my accomplishment. … I was fortunate to have had mentorship, sponsorship, and advocacy, but at the same time, I have to remember we’re in this system that does not provide that for everyone, especially women and racial and ethnic minorities. I do feel an immense responsibility, and I’m thinking of what I can do daily to help someone else get to this point.” (Because of Them We Can)

Crusto is no mere figurehead. She actively works to influence change at both individual and institutional levels. She holds leadership roles including Deputy Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Yale’s Department of Psychiatry, and co-chair for Yale’s Minority Organization for Retention and Expansion (MORE). She also serves on the executive committee for Yale’s Committee on the Status of Women in Medicine (SWIM) and acts as Deputy Title IX Coordinator at Yale. (Because of Them We Can; Yale)

Her vision centers on transforming systems that have historically excluded women, people of color, and other marginalized voices:

“Yale School of Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry were not developed for women, people of color, or other diverse groups. These spaces can be inconsistent with our ways of being and knowing. Diversity, equity, and inclusion work is about making those systems more responsive to and reflective of those differences … I’m trying to level the playing field and to eradicate the barriers people face.” (Because of Them We Can)

Congratulations, Dr. Crusto! Your leadership makes the road easier for future generations. Because of you, we can.