Chief Wellness Officer Makes First Visit to UT Martin

Wellness and mental health go hand-in-hand, and the University of Tennessee is making both university-wide priorities. This commitment was evident Feb. 1 when Dr. Jessi Gold was named the first chief wellness officer for the University of Tennessee System. She is also an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Gold and Dr. Bernie Savarese, UT System vice president for academic affairs, research and student success, traveled to UT Martin on Aug. 6 as they visit UT campuses to gain a better understanding of the wellness culture on each campus and related services provided to students.

Gold and Savarese visited with Chancellor Yancy Freeman, Dr. Andy Lewter, vice chancellor for student affairs, Dr. Philip Acree Cavalier, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and members of the student affairs staff, including Student Health and Counseling Center staff members. They also continued their discussions at lunch where they were joined by UT Martin students.

“Working with Dr. Gold will provide opportunities to share resources across the UT System,” Lewter said. “Her expertise will be invaluable as we provide the best possible wellness services to UTM students.”

Gold’s new role comes at a critical time, and she’s prepared to make a positive difference. In a February story by Peggy Reisser for the UT Health Science Center, Gold said that her personal experiences and background will help her make an impact across the University of Tennessee System.

“There’s a crisis in this country. There’s a crisis on college campuses. There’s a crisis in health-care workers, and we need to do something about it,” she said in the story. “We need to actively and systematically be approaching this across the spectrum of mental health needs. This role is really a commitment at the highest level to be doing that.”

Gold earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her medical degree at the Yale School of Medicine and completed her residency in adult psychiatry at Stanford University. She served as chief resident while at Stanford.

“We are so fortunate to have someone of Dr. Gold’s caliber here with us at the UT System,” Savarese said. “She is a passionate advocate for students, faculty, and staff wellbeing, and I have been impressed with her desire to really listen to and learn from the experiences of individuals on each of our campuses.

“I look forward to what the future will bring as we drive towards being a national leader in our ability to create healthy campuses where everyone can thrive.”