Dr. Willie Mae Jackson is an adult and forensic psychiatrist in Chicago, IL. Born on the west side of Chicago, she had the privilege of experiencing the old-school mantra “it takes a village.”Dr. Jackson attended Chicago Public Schools. She attended college at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she majored in psychology and minored in theater while simultaneously fulfilling all of her premed requirements.After college, she worked in several social service agencies. While working at these jobs, she attended Roosevelt University and earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology. Upon completion, she focused on continuing to work in the nonprofit sector until she began her studies at Ross University School of Medicine. Dr. Jackson had the privilege of being mentored by and co-authoring two academic articles with world-renowned community psychiatrist Dr. Carl Bell. She has published articles focusing on mental health in underserved populations in the city of Chicago.As a medical student and later as a resident physician at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Dr. Jackson recognized the importance of understanding behavioral sciences and medicine in the African American community. She completed her forensic psychiatry fellowship training at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Herself a product of an underserved environment, Dr. Jackson seeks to spread hope to those from similar communities/backgrounds, mentoring Ross University medical students and serving as an example of what is possible if people believe in themselves and in their dreams, irrespective of the odds.Dr. Jackson works to improve access to mental health services and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, not only in underserved communities but also on college campuses in the Chicago area. Her goal is to empower people through education regarding the critical importance of good mental health. She also promotes and advocates for good mental health through her various social media sites (i.e., Instagram @dr_willie_mae and Facebook Drwilliemae).Having overcome a variety of adversities, Dr. Jackson is an example of a Chicagoan truly living her dream. Her motto of “living by your own rules and maintaining one’s moral compass” has served her well.Make It Right, a suspense thriller, is her first novel.Read more about this authorRead less about this author