Amelia Gallitano-Mendel

Democrat · Senate · LD2

✓ Completed the Agenda's candidate questionnaire

Amelia Gallitano-Mendel is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who holds an endowed professorship at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, researching schizophrenia genetics. She has not held elected office; Judy Schwiebert, Bolick's 2024 opponent, recruited her into the race, and she won the Democratic primary over Dan Toporek. She gathered signatures for a voucher-oversight initiative courts kept off the ballot, and she would limit corporate home buying and make the data-center tax-incentive pause permanent. She says she follows "evidence, not ideology."

Prominent Endorsements

Arizona ListEMILYs ListSierra Club

Candidate resources

Campaign Finance Ballotpedia Financial Disclosure

Self-reported endorsements

State Senator Mitzi Epstein
State Senator Analise Ortiz
Former State Representative Judy Schwiebert
UFCW99
EMILY’s List
States Win
Moms Fed UP
Civic Engagement Beyond Voting
Arizona List
3.14 Action
Sierra Club
Heather A. Okvat, Ph.D, Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Karen Kattar, PTSD Clinic Director for the Phoenix VA

Candidate Questionnaire

Top Issues

My top priorities are making life more affordable for Arizona families, strengthening education and workforce development, and protecting Arizona's future through smart, evidence-based planning. 1. Affordability Everywhere I go in the district, I hear from families who are struggling with the rising cost of healthcare, housing, energy, childcare, and everyday necessities. I want to focus on practical solutions that make life more affordable and help Arizona families get ahead rather than fall behind. 2. Education and Workforce Development I came to Arizona nearly twenty years ago to help start the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix because Arizona needed more doctors. I believe our future depends on investing in education, supporting teachers, and building the workforce our state needs - from healthcare professionals and skilled tradespeople to the next generation of community leaders. 3. Protecting Arizona's Future Water security, extreme heat, and public health are some of the most important challenges facing Arizona. As a doctor and scientist, I believe we need practical, evidence-based solutions that protect people's health, strengthen our communities, and ensure future generations can thrive.

Professional Experience

My qualifications come from a lifetime of service to Arizona families. For more than 19 years, I have been a professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix, where I have helped train the next generation of doctors who care for people across our state. I also spent nine years caring for veterans with PTSD at the Phoenix VA. That experience gave me firsthand insight into the challenges many veterans and families face when trying to access mental health care and support. As a neuroscientist, my research has focused on understanding the causes of mental illness and improving treatments for patients and families. More recently, I have been studying the effects of extreme heat on Arizonans because I believe we need evidence-based solutions to the challenges facing our state. As a single mother, I understand the pressures families face when it comes to housing, healthcare, childcare, and making ends meet. Throughout my career, I have been a problem-solver. I am running because Arizona needs leaders who will listen to people, follow the evidence, and focus on solving real problems rather than scoring political points. PRESENT POSITIONS Professor with Tenure Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, 425 N. 5th St., Phoenix, AZ 85004 Professor Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix 475 N. 5th St., Phoenix, AZ 85004 Professor Department of Translational Neuroscience, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, 475 N. 5th St., Phoenix, AZ 85004 Director MD/PhD Program, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix 425 N. 5th St., Phoenix, AZ 85004 Professor BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona 1657 E Helen St, Tucson, AZ 85719 Professor Neuroscience, Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, 1040 E 4th Street PO Box 210077, GS-611, Tucson, AZ 85721 Professor Clinical Translational Sciences, University of Arizona Health Sciences Innovation Building (HSIB) 0216, 1670 E Drachman, PO Box 210216, Tucson, AZ 85721-0216 Adjunct Investigator Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004 University and Hospital Appointments and Committees: 1999 – 2000 On-Call Staff Psychiatrist – part-time, Mount Vernon Hospital, 12 N 7th Ave, Mt Vernon, NY 10550 2002 - 2007 Attending Physician, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110-1093 2009 – 2017 Staff Psychiatrist, Department of Veterans Affairs, Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center, 650 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85012 Medical Licensure and Board Certification: 1998 American Board of Medical Examiners 1998 New York State Medical License (#211384) 2001 Missouri Medical License (#2001012039) 2002 American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology 2008 Arizona Medical License (#41033) 2013 American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology – 10-year Renewal 2023 American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology – 10-year Renewal

Education

BA, Behavioral Science, University of Chicago 5801 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637 M.D., The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104 Ph.D., Neuroscience, The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104 Resident in Psychiatry, Columbia University and The New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr, New York, NY 10032