About
Mary Jane Rotheram, Ph.D., is a leader in clinical psychology and disease prevention who designs, develops, and implements groundbreaking programs all over the world. She is a licensed clinical psychologist at UCLA. Dr. Rotheram has worked diligently to get families the tools they need to be stronger, healthier, and more connected. Within families and communities, she helps vulnerable populations by designing and implementing innovative programs that improve outcomes and change lives.
Dr. Rotheram’s mission is to bring evidence-based programs to communities and families. She directs the Center for HIV Identification, Prevention, and Treatment Services (CHIPTS) at UCLA and leads the work at UCLA’s Global Center for Children and Families. She has worked in many Asian countries, as well as Uganda and So Africa. She has conducted more than 22 randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of cognitive behavioral interventions.
Dr. Rotheram received her undergraduate degree from UC Irvine and her PhD in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in child and community psychology from USC. She has spent more than 30 years focused on the ways in which peers, families, and technology can affect change for vulnerable populations. Committed to children’s emotional, behavioral and social competence, she has frequently focused on families at highest risk for derailing their health: homeless, suicidal, HIV affected children and families.
After receiving her PhD, she spent 9 years as a Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University in the Division of Child Psychiatry. During this time she co-directed a clinic for suicidal adolescents and initiated her evidence-based programs on suicide, depression, and HIV.
Later, Dr. Rotheram moved to UCLA, where she has been a professor for 20 years. Milestones of this part of her career include leading a national center for HIV prevention funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and founding The UCLA Family Commons, placed-based prevention strategies to promote well-being for children and families.
After many years working in the United States, Asia (China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar), and Africa (Uganda and South Africa), Dr. Rotheram has seen the need for comprehensive interventions and advocates against categorical funding of programs. Dedicated throughout her career to teaching and training, Dr. Rotheram puts her heart into mentoring her research students because she believes this is the best way to ensure cutting edge, sustainable programs in the future. She has primarily focused on mentoring pre and post doctoral students and junior faculty.