Elizabeth A. Sysak, PhD, MsEd

Dr. Elizabeth Sysak has almost two decades of experience in the mental and behavioral health field. Liz is a seasoned executive leader who has also served as a clinician throughout her career. She operates with a “patient first” mindset and fervently pursues paths to optimize how we deliver care to our communities.

She has co-led change at every institution she has encountered. Liz has co-led creating and expanding mental health crisis services, psychiatric and med psych inpatient units, outpatient and specialty clinics, and emergency services. Additionally, she has established training curriculums and leadership academies and seminars to assist with sustaining changes.

Dr. Sysak was responsible for resolve crisis services under UPMC as well as the emergency department at Western Psychiatric (Currently Western Behavioral), consult liaison service, psych care +, the safety department, the drug and alcohol engagement center, and mobile mental health therapy program. Liz took her experience to serve as the administrator over behavioral health at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, overseeing their expansion of a new inpatient unit, crisis stabilization center, consult liaison services, and partial programming. She served as the Chief Executive Officer at Fairmount Behavioral Health System establishing two adult specialty inpatient units one for LGBTQ+, one for women who have experienced acute trauma, as well as expanding a partial program for adolescents.

Liz co-led the reconstruction of the psychiatric emergency department at UPMC developing a milieu concept to reduce re-traumatization for patients and families. The psychiatric emergency department experienced a complete operational and cultural transformation under Dr. Sysak’s leadership.

She has served as adjunct faculty at numerous universities and colleges. Liz thrives on teaching the next generation of clinicians and leaders. Her areas of expertise span crisis and emergency services, addiction treatment, change-management, and leadership.

She recently joined Blue Cottage to serve as their Behavioral Health Consultant Leader to establish a practice reflective of the current needs across the country. Her mission is to educate, partner, and drive innovation and connection to better serve our communities.