Gerald A. Kraines, M.D. (Gerry) is president and chief executive officer of The Levinson Institute. He is also on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Since 1991, Dr. Kraines has dedicated the Institute to continue Dr. Harry Levinson’s mission of developing and communicating in-depth knowledge about people and human systems in order to enhance the effectiveness of all business organizations. He has successfully integrated the seminal works of Dr. Levinson about the psychological aspects of leadership with those of Dr. Elliott Jaques about organizational leadership systems.

In all Levinson Institute endeavors, Dr. Kraines is firmly committed to building effective organizations and healthy work environments based on a sound, in-depth understanding of human motivation and work systems. He has written extensively on diverse subjects including brain chemistry, mental health administration, stress in the workplace, the use of organization to improve mental health, and the role of hierarchy in creating highly adaptive and accountable work systems. His groundbreaking book, Accountability Leadership, was published in August 2001. He is frequently featured and quoted in both the print and electronic media about managerial issues focusing on bringing both scientific knowledge and common sense back to the workplace. He regularly lectures on leadership development; managing organizational change; on developing tough, but fair work cultures; on approaches to highly productive and accountable teams; and on those principles essential for achieving fully integrated, managerial leadership systems.

Born in Chicago, Dr. Kraines received an undergraduate degree from Oberlin College in organic chemistry, a medical degree from Case Western Reserve, and a psychiatric fellowship and a postgraduate degree in community psychiatry from the Harvard Medical School. He has undertaken several public health projects in Central America and in the rural United States, including spending two years in the U.S. Public Health Service and five years as medical director of a mental health center. Dr. Kraines was elected president of his hospital’s medical staff and to the executive committee of the New Hampshire Psychiatric Society. He served an appointment on the Governor’s Council for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention in New Hampshire. In 1990, he founded New Hampshire’s first mental health HMO—an innovative joint venture between industry leaders and public and private mental health sectors. Prior to becoming president of The Levinson Institute, Dr. Kraines practiced clinical psychiatry for over 15 years.

You can contact Dr. Kraines directly at gkraines@levinsoninst.com.