Upcoming event
Full Program to be Announced Soon
The 2026 Society of Digital Psychiatry Symposium
Session 2: December 1, 2026 - 6:00 PM-7:30 PM ET | December 2, 2026 - 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM AEDT
Why should I attend?
The 2026 Society of Digital Psychiatry Symposium is a FREE gathering focused on the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and mental healthcare. As we gather leaders and industry pioneers, this event offers a unique platform for exploration and collaboration of the latest AI advancements within the mental health landscape.
Here is what makes this year’s symposium stand out:
- A Flexible, Multi-Day Format: To better fit your busy schedule, we have reimagined our format. Instead of a single long session, this year features shorter, bite-sized talks spread across multiple days on November 30, 2026 and December 1, 2026.
- An Expanded Lineup: We are growing! This year’s event features an expanded schedule of dynamic talks and expert speakers covering the absolute cutting edge of digital psychiatry.
- Active Community Moderation: We will be guiding the conversations as your moderators, with additional co-moderators in attendance this year.
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Kathryn Taylor Ledley, BA
Kathryn Taylor Ledley holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Providence College. She is now a clinical research assistant in the digital psychiatry division, in the Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School affiliated teaching hospital. Kathryn also serves as a co-leader of the Society of Digital Psychiatry.
John Torous, MD, MBI
Cofounder, Society of Digital Psychiatry
Dr. Torous is director of the Digital Psychiatry division in the Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. With a background in electrical engineering from UC Berkeley, he earned his MD at UC San Diego and completed his psychiatry residency, clinical informatics fellowship, and master’s in biomedical informatics at Harvard. An expert in mobile mental health technologies, he has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and 5 book chapters. Dr. Torous also serves as editor-in-chief of JMIR Mental Health and a cofounder of the Society of Digital Psychiatry.
Allison G. Dempsey, MEd, PhD
Allison Dempsey is the director of Informatics, Department of Psychiatry, director of Technology, CU Brain and Behavior Innovation Center, director of Connections Program for High-Risk Infants and Families, and interim director of Perinatal and Family Services, DOPsych Women's Behavioral Health and Wellness. In addition, Dr. Dempsey is a professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
Margaret R. Emerson, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Dr. Margaret Emerson is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Associate Professor at UNMC, and digital mental health researcher. She leads grant-funded projects focused on integrated care, mHealth app evaluation, and improving digital literacy among clinicians and patients, with an emphasis on expanding access in underserved and rural communities.
Laura Ospina-Pinillos, MD, PhD
Dr. Laura Ospina-Pinillos is an Assistant Professor at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with over 15 years of clinical and research experience. She combines psychiatry, technology, and participatory methods to design and implement digital tools that address the mental health needs of young people, with a strong focus on cultural adaptation and reducing the treatment gap in low- and middle-income countries. She has led national and international initiatives in partnership with health systems, universities, and global organizations, translating research into scalable interventions and publishing widely. In 2022, she was recognized by the Inter-American Development Bank as a Woman Champion in Digital Health in Latin America and the Caribbean for her leadership in advancing equitable and inclusive youth mental health care.
Michelle Patriquin, PhD, ABPP
Michelle Patriquin serves in multiple roles at UTHealth Houston: she is assistant dean for digital health & innovation in the School of Behavioral Health Sciences, co-director of research and a clinical psychologist at the John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center, and an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences.
Julian Schwarz, MD
Julian Schwarz leads the working group for Digital Psychiatry and is an assistant professor at Brandenburg Medical School in Germany, where he also serves as senior consultant psychiatrist for a Home Treatment Team and an outpatient unit specializing in severe mental illness at the Immanuel Deaconess Medical Center, the university hospital of Brandenburg Medical School.
Gillian Strudwick, RN, PhD, FAMIA, FCAN, FIAHS
Dr. Gillian Strudwick is a registered nurse and serves as the interim scientific director of the Digital Innovation Hub, chief clinical informatics officer, and senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. In addition, Dr. Strudwick is an associate professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto.
Are you interested in sponsoring The 2026 Society of Digital Psychiatry Symposium? Email Kathryn Ryan to get the conversation started.