Psychiatry’s Karp elected to national leadership position

Jordan F. Karp, MD, a professor and chair of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson Department of Psychiatry, was elected secretary/treasurer for the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.

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“Everyone ages, and most people have been touched by age-related neuropsychiatric diseases like dementia,” Karp said. “As people live longer, dementia and associated neuropsychiatric conditions will become more common. AAGP is the world’s leading organization focused on improving mental health care and wellness in aging adults. I’m grateful for this opportunity to help lead AAGP.”

Karp will serve as secretary/treasurer-elect through April 2026 and as secretary/treasurer until April 2027. His duties include providing financial oversight as well as serving as the financial liaison between the nonprofit’s board and management company. Karp has held several roles with the organization, including serving on the board of directors and various committees. 

He said the association’s dedication as well as its mentorship to the next generation of geriatric psychiatrists and others working in late-life mental health is inspiring. Founded in 1978, the association’s mission is to advance the science, prevention, and treatment of mental illness in older adults. Its members include geriatric psychiatrists and other health care professionals around the world.

Karp called the association his professional “home away from home.”

“I’m honored for the opportunity to give back to this organization that has been so important to my career trajectory and successes,” he said.

Karp joined the College of Medicine – Tucson as chair of the Department of Psychiatry in 2020 after serving as a professor of psychiatry, anesthesiology and clinical and translational science at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of geriatric psychiatry, depression treatment, and suicide prevention.