Juan Gallego, president of the American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry (ASHP), is a psychiatrist, medical scientist, assistant professor of Psychiatry at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, and an assistant teacher at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research’s Behavioral Science Institute.
Gallego was born in Colombia. He has been part of the society for several years, but as president, he has been honored to serve since 2022, in a term that will end in May of this year, and that has yielded significant fruits for both the organization and the Hispanic community in the United States.
“ASHP is my family, and I feel fortunate to work not only with accomplished professionals but also with great friends. I still remember attending my first meeting of the organization in 2003 when I was applying for residency, and since then, I have been a ‘regular’ at these meetings,” he expressed on the society’s website.
Gallego has worked tirelessly to uphold the society’s mission, which, among other things, is based on supporting patients, families, and Latin communities in promoting wellness and inclusion initiatives.
“I am very proud of our society, and I plan to honor their trust in choosing me as president by working tirelessly to achieve our society’s mission.”

During his tenure, Gallego has focused on three main objectives:
– Enhancing research activities within the society, including research training for junior Hispanic researchers
– Continuing the liaison with Latin American Psychiatric Associations
– Increasing the visibility of the ASHP
The ASHP fosters multidisciplinary collaborations in the treatment of mental health with a particular focus on Latin populations. Members are psychiatrists, psychologists, and other practicing mental health workers.
It also promotes research, professional education, and clinical activities in the field of mental health through the participation and collaboration of Hispanic psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals in the United States, Latin America, and the Iberian Peninsula.
Gallego performs an unparalleled role as president, and he is joined by a group of distinguished Latin professionals like Pamela Montano, treasurer; and Gerardo Villarreal, secretary.
A Never-Ending Learning Journey
Gallego began his higher education in his native country, earning a medical degree from the Universidad CES in Medellín. He then completed his psychiatry residency training at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, as well as a research fellowship at the Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health’s psychiatric hospital in Glen Oaks.
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His academic training also includes a Master’s degree in clinical research methods from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. His work has focused on the study of first-episode schizophrenia through randomized controlled trials and the study of gene expression and inflammatory biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood samples.
He has recently started to incorporate neuroimaging approaches to complement his work. He has received funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (K23 award) and the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.