Candidate Statement
Dr. Judy Palfrey is a general pediatrician and child advocate. She has developed widely accepted medical home approaches that address health inequities and provide guidance for practices and school systems on the comprehensive care for children with special health care needs. She has advocated for S-CHIP, improved school health services and payment to pediatricians for developmental screening and coordination of care.
She has served as AAP Section Chair of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, President of the APA, Director of Building Bright Futures, and National Program Director of the Dyson Community Pediatrics Initiative.
Born in El Paso, Texas, Judy grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. After receiving her AB from Harvard and MD from Columbia, she trained at Jacobi Hospital in New York. She joined Children's Hospital, Boston, serving as General Pediatrics Division Chief (1986-2008). She fostered the division's growth to 90 faculty members, 25 fellows, nearly 100,000 annual patient visits. She has written five books including Community Child Health and Child Health in America, over 100 articles and chapters dealing with improving child health systems. She has mentored 100s of medical students, residents, and fellows.
Judy is the T. Berry Brazelton Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School. She directs the Children's International Pediatric Center, Children's Hospital, Boston. She is Master of Adams House at Harvard College along with her husband, Sean, is the former President of the Massachusetts AAP. They have three children and two grandchildren. Judy enjoys messing around in boats, clamming and tennis.