KIMBERLY FINNEY is a board certified clinical psychologist and clinical associate professor at the USC School of Social Work. A retired U.S. Air Force officer, Finney’s final assignment was flight commander of the mental health clinic at Los Angeles Air Force Base, where she was responsible for the delivery of mental health services, family advocacy and substance abuse services to the 8,300 beneficiaries served by the clinic.

In 1989, Finney entered the Air Force as a laboratory officer and was assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, where she established its first blood donor center and initiated bone marrow screening. Her efforts delivered more than 2,600 units of blood in eight days during Operation Desert Storm. Her bone marrow program not only increased the national registry by over 1,500 donors, but provided a second chance at life for three Department of Defense members. These achievements earned her the prestigious Admiral Zumwalt Award for Community Leadership.

Finney left active duty service in 1994 to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. She continued her service as a member of the Air Force Reserves and was chosen by the American Association of Blood Banks as an accreditation inspector for civilian and military blood banks. Following several assignments as an Air Force psychologist, Finney was selected Field Grade Psychologist of the Year for 2003 by Air Force Space Command. In 2004, she received a fellowship in psychopharmacology and later a post-doctoral master’s degree in psychopharmacology. She was one of only four Air Force psychologists and one of approximately 150 psychologists nationwide who were credentialed to prescribe medications.