Heeyoung Lee

PhD, PMHNP-BC, FAAN
Department Chair
Associate Professor
Health & Community Systems

Profile

Dr. Lee has a background in mental health nursing and specific training in self-management interventions for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Her research interest lies in the implementation of intervention programs for health promotion and disease prevention for individuals with SMI. As PI on internally and externally funded projects, Dr. Lee has demonstrated a record of successful and productive research projects in the area of serious mental illness research.

Dr. Lee received her both BSN and MSN from Hanyang University (Seoul, Korea) and her PhD from the University of Washington School of Nursing (Seattle). Dr. Lee also was trained in mental health as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner while working on her doctoral degree.

Dr. Lee received the 2014 and 2015 Okura Mental Health Leadership Scholars award from APPINA for scholarship development in the area of mental health. 

Clinical Emphasis

Psychiatric Mental Health 

Scholarly Emphasis

Dr. Heeyoung Lee’s research focuses on improving mental and physical health outcomes among individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), particularly those at elevated risk for chronic conditions and accelerated aging. Her work integrates clinical expertise, data science, and a population health perspective to develop and evaluate real-world interventions aimed at health promotion and disease prevention in this underserved population. A central focus of Dr. Lee’s research is the use of electronic health record (EHR)-based predictive modeling to identify cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with SMI, with the goal of advancing precision health strategies and informing early, targeted intervention. Her work has been supported by the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the VA Healthcare System, and other national funding bodies.

Teaching

Dr. Lee has served as the primary instructor for core graduate-level courses in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) area of concentration. Dr. Lee also serves as a mentor for both PMHNP and PhD students, supporting their scholarly and clinical development through individualized guidance on research projects and quality improvement projects.

Service

Dr. Lee’s service contributions span the local, national, and international levels. At the University of Pittsburgh, she serves as Chair of the Department of Health & Community Systems. She currently serves as Associate Editor of the Archives of Psychiatric Nursing and regularly reviews for leading journals in psychiatry, nursing, and public health. She has been actively involved in professional organizations including the International Society of Psychiatric Nurses, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, and the Asian American/Pacific Islander Nurses Association, where she has held leadership roles on awards and finance committees.