Lise Van Susteren
Encyclopedia
Lise Van Susteren is an American forensic psychiatrist in private practice in Washington, DC and environmental activist. In 2006 she sought the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate in Maryland, but withdrew from the race in April 2006.
Van Susteren received her medical degree in 1982 from the University of Paris
and interned at the Hospital St. Anne and the American Hospital in Paris, and at Hospital Tokoin in Lome, Togo. She was a resident in psychiatry at St. Elizabeths Hospital
in Washington, D.C. She was board certified in general psychiatry in 1989 and in forensic psychiatry in 1999. She worked as a staff psychiatrist at the Alexandria Mental Health Center in Alexandria, Virginia and at the Springfield Mental Health Center in Springfield, Virginia. She also worked as a consultant to the Central Intelligence Agency, conducting psychological assessments of world leaders.
Van Susteren is a frequent commentator on television and radio and hosted The Doctor Is In, a weekly segment on The Paul Berry Show on radio station WTNT-570, Silver Spring, Maryland and publishes a blog at the Huffington Post. She co-founded The Friends of St. Elizabeths, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the humane treatment of the mentally ill and the historic preservation of St. Elizabeths Hospital. Through Physicians for Human Rights
, she evaluates and testifies on behalf of refugees seeking political asylum in the United States. She has been a volunteer reader for Metropolitan Washington Ear
, an organization that records written material for the blind. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
she traveled to Houston to assist those in need of mental health treatment.
In September 2006, Van Susteren was chosen as one of the first 50 persons to be trained by Al Gore
to give her version of his global warming slide show, "An Inconvenient Truth." She returned several times to The Climate Project
in Nashville to help Gore train 1,000 presenters. She was named Eastern Regional Coordinator of the Climate Project in 2007 and was elected to its Board of Directors in 2009. She has presented her global warming slide shows to over 100 civic, educational, religious, labor and environmental groups in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, nationally and abroad. In 2008 she developed an additional slide show focused on the health effects of global warming.
Van Susteren is also a member of the Board of Directors of the National Wildlife Federation
and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network
. She was appointed by the Governor of Maryland to the Board of Trustees of the Chesapeake Bay Trust
and to the Working Groups on Transportation and Energy of the Maryland Commission on Climate. In 2009, she was appointed to the Climate Energy and Environmental Policy Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
in Washington, DC.
Van Susteren's father, Urban Van Susteren, was an elected judge in Appleton, Wisconsin
. Judge Van Susteren was also a campaign manager for Sen. Joseph McCarthy
(R-WI), although they eventually came to disagree about the Senator's views on communism in government. She has two siblings: Dirk Van Susteren, a journalist, and Greta Van Susteren
, Attorney and the host of a national television show, "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren".
Van Susteren's husband is Jonathan Kempner, President of TIGER 21
, headquartered in New York City. He is the former President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association
and the National Multi Housing Council. They have three daughters.
Van Susteren received her medical degree in 1982 from the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
and interned at the Hospital St. Anne and the American Hospital in Paris, and at Hospital Tokoin in Lome, Togo. She was a resident in psychiatry at St. Elizabeths Hospital
St. Elizabeths Hospital
St. Elizabeths Hospital is a psychiatric hospital operated by the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health. It was the first large-scale, federally-run psychiatric hospital in the United States. Housing several thousand patients at its peak, St. Elizabeths had a fully functioning...
in Washington, D.C. She was board certified in general psychiatry in 1989 and in forensic psychiatry in 1999. She worked as a staff psychiatrist at the Alexandria Mental Health Center in Alexandria, Virginia and at the Springfield Mental Health Center in Springfield, Virginia. She also worked as a consultant to the Central Intelligence Agency, conducting psychological assessments of world leaders.
Van Susteren is a frequent commentator on television and radio and hosted The Doctor Is In, a weekly segment on The Paul Berry Show on radio station WTNT-570, Silver Spring, Maryland and publishes a blog at the Huffington Post. She co-founded The Friends of St. Elizabeths, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the humane treatment of the mentally ill and the historic preservation of St. Elizabeths Hospital. Through Physicians for Human Rights
Physicians for Human Rights
Physicians for Human Rights was founded in 1986 by a small group of doctors who believed the unique scientific expertise and authority of health professionals could bring human rights violations to light and provide justice for victims...
, she evaluates and testifies on behalf of refugees seeking political asylum in the United States. She has been a volunteer reader for Metropolitan Washington Ear
Metropolitan Washington Ear
The Metropolitan Washington Ear is a multi-media reading service for the blind and visually impaired of Greater Washington, D.C.The Metropolitan Washington Ear offers two main services. The first is a radio reading service where volunteers read newspapers and other publications over a sub-frequency...
, an organization that records written material for the blind. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
she traveled to Houston to assist those in need of mental health treatment.
In September 2006, Van Susteren was chosen as one of the first 50 persons to be trained by Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
to give her version of his global warming slide show, "An Inconvenient Truth." She returned several times to The Climate Project
The Climate Project
The Climate Project was founded by Nobel laureate Al Gore in June 2006 and is a non-profit organizationdedicated to calling attention to what it believes are global problems associated with climate change...
in Nashville to help Gore train 1,000 presenters. She was named Eastern Regional Coordinator of the Climate Project in 2007 and was elected to its Board of Directors in 2009. She has presented her global warming slide shows to over 100 civic, educational, religious, labor and environmental groups in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, nationally and abroad. In 2008 she developed an additional slide show focused on the health effects of global warming.
Van Susteren is also a member of the Board of Directors of the National Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over four million members and supporters, and 48 state and territorial affiliated organizations...
and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
The Chesapeake Climate Action Network was officially launched on July 1, 2002 with a seed grant from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Chesapeake Climate Action Network is a registered 5013 organization located in Takoma Park, Maryland....
. She was appointed by the Governor of Maryland to the Board of Trustees of the Chesapeake Bay Trust
Chesapeake Bay Trust
The Chesapeake Bay Trust is a non-profit organization established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1985. Its mission is to promote public awareness and participation in restoring and protecting the water quality and the aquatic and land resources of the Chesapeake Bay...
and to the Working Groups on Transportation and Energy of the Maryland Commission on Climate. In 2009, she was appointed to the Climate Energy and Environmental Policy Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is a regional organization of Washington area local governments. MWCOG comprises 21 local governments in the Washington Metropolitan Area, as well as area members of the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House...
in Washington, DC.
Van Susteren's father, Urban Van Susteren, was an elected judge in Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
. Judge Van Susteren was also a campaign manager for Sen. Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
(R-WI), although they eventually came to disagree about the Senator's views on communism in government. She has two siblings: Dirk Van Susteren, a journalist, and Greta Van Susteren
Greta Van Susteren
Greta Van Susteren is an American commentator and television personality on the Fox News Channel, where she hosts On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren...
, Attorney and the host of a national television show, "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren".
Van Susteren's husband is Jonathan Kempner, President of TIGER 21
TIGER 21
TIGER 21 is a peer-to-peer learning group for high net worth individuals. TIGER 21 provides members the opportunity to build a skill set to transition from focused entrepreneurs to disciplined managers of wealth...
, headquartered in New York City. He is the former President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association
Mortgage Bankers Association
The Mortgage Bankers Association is the United States national association representing all facets of the real estate finance industry. Headquartered in Washington, DC, MBA represents over 3,000 member companies nationwide in an industry that employs approximately 350,000 people...
and the National Multi Housing Council. They have three daughters.