Mathews Journal of Psychiatry & Mental Health

Christopher L Edwards

Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology
North Carolina Central University
United States

Dr. Christopher L. Edwards brings a unique blend of scientific rigor and practical governance experience to educational leadership. As a Clinical Psychologist and Research Psychoneuroendocrinologist, Dr. Edwards retired from Duke University Medical Center in 2018 after a distinguished academic career, subsequently joining North Carolina Central University as adjunct faculty. His extensive background in complex organizational leadership, spanning academic medical centers, research laboratories, and community institutions, provides the foundation for his insights into effective educational governance. Throughout his career at Duke University Medical Center, Dr. Edwards served in multiple executive leadership roles, including Medical Director of the Biofeedback Laboratory and Director of the Chronic Pain Management Program. His experience managing multidisciplinary teams, navigating complex institutional politics, and balancing competing stakeholder interests in high-stakes medical environments directly informs his understanding of the challenges facing educational board chairs. Over nearly three decades, he has demonstrated the principles explored in this book through his leadership of programs serving diverse populations and his commitment to systematic excellence in organizational outcomes. Dr. Edwards' scholarly contributions include more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and over 500 national and international presentations, reflecting the kind of evidence-based thinking essential for effective educational governance. His research on factors influencing health outcomes among Black and other minority populations demonstrates the commitment to equity and servant leadership that characterizes transformational educational chairs. His lifetime achievement award for contributions to understanding Sickle Cell Disease exemplifies the long-term impact that results from principled, mission-driven leadership. Since joining North Carolina Central University in 2018, Dr. Edwards has applied his governance expertise to pioneering initiatives, including establishing the first community-based medical and psychiatric clinic at a Historically Black College or University not attached to a medical school. As director of the internationally recognized Kylyn Love/Edwards NCCU Psychoneuroendocrine and Rare Diseases Laboratory, he continues to demonstrate the audacious leadership principles outlined in this work—pursuing seemingly impossible goals through systematic, evidence-based approaches that serve historically underrepresented communities. Dr. Edwards' concurrent service as chair and board member of multiple non-profit and for-profit organizations provides direct experience with the governance challenges explored throughout this book. His ability to translate complex scientific research into practical organizational strategies, combined with his deep commitment to serving diverse communities, positions him uniquely to guide educational leaders toward the kind of principled, transformational governance that creates lasting institutional impact. Through his multidisciplinary approach to leadership development and his dedication to building systems that transcend individual tenure, Dr. Edwards embodies the integration of analytical rigor and servant leadership that defines exceptional educational governance in the twenty-first century.