David Riggs, Ph.D.

David Riggs, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Deployment Psychology, is a clinical psychologist and research associate professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Kansas, earned a doctorate from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1990.

Riggs has held clinical research positions at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety and the National Center for PTSD at the Boston VA Medical Center. He previously held academic appointments at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Tufts University, Boston University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Much of Riggs’ work has focused on trauma, violence and anxiety with a particular interest in the impact of PTSD and other anxiety disorders on the families of those directly affected. This included training professionals in ways to address the needs of survivors of international terror, natural disasters, military trauma, and sexual and physical assault.  Riggs has published over 60 articles and book chapters and presented over 200 papers and workshops on topics including post-traumatic disorder, domestic violence, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and behavioral therapy.