At the UW School of Pharmacy, innovation and compassion go hand in hand – just ask Assistant Professor Dr. Clayton English, whose dedication to advancing mental health care and psychiatric pharmacy has earned him recognition as a 2025 Fellow of the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP).
English’s journey – from a small-town pharmacy to a leading educator, researcher and advocate – is deeply intentional. “My life has been touched by close friends whose lives had been turned upside down by behavioral health issues,” he shared. “That spurred me to wanting to know more and to learn more in that area and find out if there was a role for pharmacists in that arena.” His work is all the more vital as millions of Americans navigate mental illness in times marked by economic stress, political upheaval and global uncertainty.
With broad clinical and research interests spanning psychiatric medication safety, deprescribing, mood disorders, adult ADHD and drug-induced behavioral conditions, English is a champion for interprofessional education, team-based care and student well-being.
His leadership extends beyond the classroom, too; English is a Senior Editor for the AAPP Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy Review Book and has been recognized nationally for his excellence in teaching, mentorship and advocacy for the pharmacy profession. Last month, he moderated a panel discussion on the groundbreaking intersection of addiction medicine and psychedelic therapies at Husky Days in the Bay. Joined onstage by experts from UW Medicine, UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco, English led a dynamic conversation on the transformative potential of psychedelics to address substance use disorders for Bay Area UW alumni.
The inaugural cohort of the AAPP fellowship honors professionals who’ve made a lasting impact on psychiatric pharmacy, advancing the practice setting with service and leadership.English will be formally recognized at the 2025 AAPP Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City this spring – a well-earned distinction for an educator and advocate whose work is shaping the future of medication therapy for behavioral health.