Vaile Wright, PhD, is the inaugural Senior Director for Health Care Innovation at the American Psychological Association, where she leads APA’s national strategy to advance the responsible use of technology and
data across behavioral health care. A licensed psychologist, researcher, and recognized thought leader, Dr. Wright develops forward‑looking approaches to expand access, strengthen quality and measurement, improve system‑level efficiency, and modernize how care is delivered in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
A trusted voice in federal policy, Dr. Wright has provided invited expert testimony to key government bodies, including the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy & Commerce on the role of artificial
intelligence in health care, and the Food & Drug Administration’s Digital Health Advisory Committee, where she offered guidance on the oversight and impact of emerging digital health technologies.
Dr. Wright’s research portfolio spans some of psychology’s most respected journals, including American Psychologist, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, and Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. As one of APA’s most visible national spokespersons, she is frequently featured across major media outlets—among them CNN, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and NPR—providing expert analysis on telehealth, technology, AI, and mental health care access.
Prior to working at APA, she was the Director of Psychology Training at Saint Elizabeths Hospital, in Washington DC, a publicly funded inpatient psychiatric hospital serving individuals with serious mental illness. Dr. Wright received her PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2007, and is licensed in the District of Columbia.
