A photo of five individuals at a ribbon-cutting ceremony; Dean Linda P. Fried holds oversized scissors

Susan Lasker Brody Center for Population Mental Health Honors a Visionary Alumna

News

March 19, 2025

On March 3, a dedication ceremony marked the official opening of the Susan Lasker Brody Center for Population Mental Health. Conceived by the late Susan Lasker Brody, MPH ’97, the Center will serve as a national hub for research, education, policy analysis, and advocacy, with a focus on preventing mental illness and promoting resilience and well-being. (Watch highlights of the event in a short video below.)

A smiling woman in a black evening gown — Susan Lasker Brody

The Center is made possible by a bequest of over $15 million from Brody—one of the largest gifts in Columbia Mailman’s 103-year history. This transformative funding will support a robust research program, an endowed chair to lead the Center, and scholarships for master’s and doctoral students.

A woman in a Columbia blue commencement robe holding her diploma posing with a man wearing a physician's regalia — Susan Lasker Brody and Former Dean Allan Rosenfield

The launch event, held in Hess Commons and followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the ninth floor of the Allan Rosenfield Building, brought together family, friends, and colleagues of Susan Lasker Brody, along with faculty and staff.

A Life of Impact: Susan Lasker Brody’s Legacy

Susan Lasker Brody led a remarkable life, balancing a successful career in the art world with a deep commitment to public health. At Sotheby’s, she founded the Museum Services Department and later chaired the Sotheby’s Charities Committee. In 1997, she earned a degree through Columbia Mailman’s Executive MPH Program and remained deeply connected to the School, serving on the School’s Board of Advisors for many years. She also served on the board of the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation in New York. Brody passed away in 2022.

A woman wearing glasses speaks at a podium in front of a Columbia backdrop — Dean Linda P. Fried

At the March 3 event, Dean Linda P. Fried reflected on her friendship with Brody and their shared vision for the Center. “Susan recognized that many Americans struggle with mental ill health. She herself struggled. She was moved and concerned that many of these struggles go unnoted and untreated, and she thought much could be prevented,” Dean Fried said. “We could not be more honored that she chose to make the home for this great center at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health.”

A woman with blond hair and glasses speaks at a podium — Kathleen Sikkema

A Family Legacy of Advocacy

Brody’s commitment to public health was inspired in part by her grandmother, Mary Lasker, a pioneering advocate for medical research and public health. Mary Lasker co-founded the American Cancer Society, led the Birth Control Federation of America (now Planned Parenthood), and played a pivotal role in expanding the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Under her influence, the NIH’s budget grew from $2.4 million in 1945 to $5.5 billion in 1985. Albert and Mary Lasker co-founded the Lasker Foundation, which supports medical science and public service, including through the Lasker Awards, sometimes referred to as “America’s Nobels.”

A man with white hair stands in front of a blue backdrop reading Columbia Mailman School of Public Health — Michael Sparer

Leadership and Vision

The Brody Center is co-directed by Kathleen Sikkema, chair of Sociomedical Sciences, and Michael Sparer, chair of Health Policy and Management. In remarks, both emphasized Brody’s vision for a public health approach to mental health.

Sikkema, a clinical psychologist whose research focuses on community-based interventions for HIV, mental health, and trauma, noted that Brody was passionate about prevention. While individual treatments are critical, Sikkema said, “a population mental health approach can reach larger numbers of people while focusing on resilience and prevention and also enhance ways that policy and healthcare systems can be improved so people have access to care.”

A woman with blond hair and glasses speaks at a podium in front of a Columbia backdrop — Catherine Grevers Schmidt

Sparer, who first met Brody when she applied to the Executive MPH program, recalled her as a “star student” with a special interest in mental health policy in the U.S. After graduating, they spoke many times about her ideas to advance work in this area, leading to her support for a seminar series on mental health, and then later plans for the Brody Center. “She had high standards for what we could and should be able to do,” Sparer said.

Remembering Susan Lasker Brody

Friends and colleagues shared heartfelt memories of Brody, celebrating her dedication to making a difference in the world. Catherine Grevers Schmidt, a longtime friend and lawyer for the Susan Lasker Brody Estate, recalled Brody’s determination to use her resources for meaningful change. “She wanted to make a difference in the world,” Schmidt said. “I saw how gratified she felt about the idea of contributing to the effort to create a world where mental health is prioritized.”