Faye McCray is pioneer in mental health education

In January, Faye McCray ’03 was named editor-in-chief of Psych Central, a Healthline Media/Red Ventures company. This appointment made her the first Black editor-in-chief at Healthline Media. She also was editor-in-chief of Tax Notes, following a 10-year career as a disability lawyer for the Social Security Administration. Over the years, she has maintained a freelance writing career.

AN UNCONVENTIONAL ROAD TO JOURNALISM

“Although I always loved writing and majored in English at Binghamton, I chose to attend law school. I had an interest in impacting social and political change. Law school seemed like the best vehicle to do that! I practiced law for more than a decade. Though I loved it, I never stopped writing. I wrote and published fiction. I also had a successful freelance career writing thought pieces, op-eds, interviews and television reviews. After years of managing two careers, I decided to go back to graduate school to get my master’s degree in writing and pursue writing fulltime.”

THE CHANGING DAYS OF MENTAL HEALTH

“Psych Central has and will always be a reliable source of mental health education and a place to find community. It was acquired by Healthline Media in 2020. Healthline is America’s No. 1 digital media platform. My goal for year one is to assemble my team and focus on updating content on the site and filling coverage gaps. The mental health landscape has changed quite a bit since our inception. That change has only accelerated as we’ve navigated through this pandemic and been forced to examine how trauma, grief and loneliness play significant roles in mental health and wellness. Our readers come to us to learn to live better but they also come to us in crisis. I take that responsibility very seriously. It is a good day when I close my computer for the day and feel proud of the work my team has done. Not a day has gone by where I haven’t had that feeling.”

BEING A TRAIL BLAZER

“It was pretty surreal becoming the first African American editor-in-chief at Healthline Media. Ironically, I took the role just a week before Kamala Harris was sworn in as our first African American woman vice president. Though her platform is much larger, I felt strengthened by witnessing her journey. When you’re the first, it means you are opening a door and blazing a trail. I can’t wait to look back on my career and witness how many firsts and seconds come after me. Although I have infinite interests and passions outside of my racial identity, I am also proud to be able to bring an unheard voice to the room.”