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Patricia Blessman
Board Member at Voices for Illinois Children
Professional Background
Dr. Patricia Y. Blessman, PhD, is a highly respected licensed clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience in the mental health field. Notably, she is a pioneer in her domain, having founded and served as the President and Clinical Director of the Institute for Psychodiagnostic Interventions and Services (ISIS) Ltd., a minority-owned psychological service corporation. Under her leadership, ISIS Ltd. has made significant strides in the clinical supervision and training of a diverse, multidisciplinary staff. Dr. Blessman has been instrumental in developing and implementing a broad range of clinical service product lines aimed at enhancing mental health outcomes for marginalized communities.
In addition to her role at ISIS Ltd., Dr. Blessman has offered her technical expertise to social service agencies that cater to ethnically and culturally diverse populations. This has positioned her as a key figure in mental health program development and evaluation, where her focus has often been on creating accessible mental health services for underserved groups. Dr. Blessman’s dynamic career has also seen her contribute profoundly to a variety of feminist, social justice, and health advocacy organizations, demonstrating her commitment to social change.
Education and Achievements
Dr. Blessman began her academic journey at Northwestern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Social Policy. This educational foundation laid the groundwork for her subsequent pursuit of a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the esteemed University of Illinois Chicago, equipping her with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in mental health.
Her dedication to mental health extends beyond clinical practice; she has also contributed to the academic sphere, having served as the Director of Admissions and Core Faculty at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. In this capacity, Dr. Blessman played a key role in shaping the training of future psychologists, emphasizing the importance of cultural competence in clinical practice.
Community Involvement and Philanthropic Efforts
Dr. Blessman is actively involved in several boards and organizations that reflect her commitment to community service and social responsibility. She serves on the boards of Voices for Illinois Children and the George Eastman House International Museum for Film and Photography, where she leverages her expertise in finance and fundraising to support these institutions. Additionally, her role as a finance chair for state Senator Jacqueline Collins showcases her dedication to political engagement and advocacy.
Together with her husband Stephen Blessman, Dr. Blessman is an advocate for socially responsible investing. They aim to align their investment portfolio with companies that prioritize social good alongside financial stability. Their engagement with the Social Venture Network highlights their belief in the transformative power of businesses that foster positive change in society.
Dr. Blessman’s commitment to advancing mental health awareness extends to media as well; she served as the associate producer for the documentary film "Carbon Nation," which explores the intersection of climate change and social responsibility. This project epitomizes Dr. Blessman’s multifaceted contributions to society, merging her passion for psychology with urgent global issues.
Notable Achievements
Dr. Blessman’s career is filled with noteworthy achievements that underscore her expertise and influence in the field of psychology and community service. As a former campaign finance chair for high-profile political campaigns, her efforts have fostered substantial fundraising initiatives that support progressive policies and candidates. Her involvement with organizations such as Psychologists for Social Responsibility exemplifies her understanding of the role that mental health professionals play in advocating for social justice.
Her training in psychological assessment and program planning has allowed her to develop a keen understanding of the needs of diverse communities and to pioneer services that address these needs effectively. As a member of several prestigious professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association, Dr. Blessman remains at the forefront of psychological practice and advocacy.
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Social Policy: Northwestern University
- PhD in Clinical Psychology: University of Illinois Chicago
Professional Affiliations
- Member of the American Psychological Association
- Former Member of the Steering Committee for Psychologists for Social Responsibility
- Former Member of Codepink
- Member of Social Venture Network
Contributions to Mental Health
Dr. Blessman’s career reflects a deep commitment to mental health, social justice, and community empowerment. From her early work in various clinical settings to her leadership roles in mental health organizations, she has dedicated her life to improving the lives of others through her expertise and advocacy.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
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