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Cecilia Martinez-Torteya, Ph.D., receives Todd Ouida Clinical Scholars Award
Sarah Acree
Featured Member(s)
Cecilia Martinez-Torteya, Ph.D., has been selected to receive the 2024 Todd Ouida Clinical Scholars Award. She was recognized at the annual Todd Ouida Clinical Scholars Lecture on September 18 in Ann Arbor.
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Dr. Martinez-Torteya is a licensed clinical psychologist and clinical associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan. Her project, called Mama Empoderada, will look at ways to help Spanish-speaking families with parenting, considering their unique cultural and linguistic needs. Her passion for this research is motivated by her experiences as a mother of two young Mexican-American children growing up in a bilingual household.
Her research explores how trauma and other challenges can impact families through generations. She is also interested in understanding how protective factors–like safety, stability and healthy coping mechanisms–can help families in marginalized communities cope with hardship.
As a patient-care provider, she supports families and researches trauma-informed parenting strategies for young families. She is dedicated to helping Spanish-speaking families gain better access to these valuable services.
“Dr. Martinez-Torteya’s unwavering commitment to underserved populations combined with her exceptional clinical and research skills make her an outstanding candidate for the Todd Ouida Scholars Award,” said Michelle Kees, Ph.D., chair of the award selection committee and faculty lead of our Center’s Outreach & Education team. “We welcome her to the Ouida family of clinical scholars and look forward to seeing the exceptional contributions she will make to the field and the children and families she serves.”
The Todd Ouida Clinical Scholars Award has funded the work of U-M scholars researching childhood anxiety and depression for over two decades. The annual lecture and funding award honors the legacy of Todd Ouida, who overcame severe anxiety throughout his early childhood and went on to earn a degree in psychology from the University of Michigan before tragically losing his life on September 11, 2001, while working in the World Trade Center.
“We are grateful to the Ouida family for being the spark that keeps us diligent in our quest to make a difference in children’s mental health and for being an inspiration to us all,” said Kees.