Dr. Benedek was only the second woman to serve as President of the American Psychiatry Association.  She was born in Detroit, Michigan, received her M.D. degree (1960) from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, interned at Sinai Hospital in Detroit, Michigan and returned to the University of Michigan to train in general and child psychiatry (1961-1965).  She later achieved a full professorship at both the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, and clinical professorship, Michigan State University.

Dr. Benedek’s major interest has been in education, serving as an administrator of a pre-adolescent inpatient unit, Associate Director of Child Psychiatry and Training Director at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry.  She has been a consultant to numerous agencies, including the Institute of Medicine, The President’s Commission on Mental Health, the U.S. Secret Service, and the American Bar Association.

Dr. Benedek’s activities with the American Psychiatric Association began in 1972 when she was a member of the Task Force on Women in Psychiatry.  She has been and continues to be active in the American Psychiatric Association and served in various capacities.  Since that time she has been an officer, member of and active participant in the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry; the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; the Michigan Council on Child Psychiatry; and the American College of Psychiatrist.  She served as a Senior Examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has published several books on child, adolescent, and forensic psychiatry, in addition to numerous articles and book chapters.

Dr. Benedek served as Secretary-Treasurer and Vice-President of the American Psychiatric Association, and President from 1990-1991.  After her Presidency she established the American Psychiatric Foundation and either chaired or served on additional American Psychiatry Association components including the Ethics Committee, the Committee on Disasters, the Council on Psychiatry and the Law.  She has consulted to Courts and attorneys and organizations on many forensic issues including child sexual abuse, child custody, toxic torts, as well as many employment issues such as wrongful termination, fitness to work, and testified numerous times in depositions and courts for plaintiff and defense attorneys including providing opinions on state prosecution issues of incarceration, criminal responsibility and competency.

Dr. Benedek has been an independent contractor to fpamed since 2023.

References available upon request.