CEO of The Jed Foundation
2025 John Jay Award Honoree
John MacPhee CC’89, PH’12
John A. MacPhee CC’89, PH’12 serves as CEO of The Jed Foundation, a leading nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding mental health and reducing risks for suicide for teens and young adults.
Under his leadership, JED has grown into a national leader, collaborating with more than 1,200 primary, secondary and higher education schools — representing 6.5 million students — to develop comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention programs. Additionally, JED’s educational campaigns have helped tens of millions of people learn how to navigate mental health challenges. MacPhee is a passionate advocate for creating systems and cultures that prioritize the well-being of emerging adults. He has guided JED in raising and deploying more than $140 million for youth suicide prevention, securing significant grants and partnerships, enabling the organization to expand its impact nationwide.
Earlier in his career, MacPhee held senior executive roles in the pharmaceutical industry, where he gained extensive experience in commercial operations, business development, clinical and regulatory affairs. His career includes leadership and board positions at Forest Laboratories, Par Pharmaceutical, Adamas Pharmaceuticals and Blackthorn Therapeutics, where he played key roles in spearheading innovative treatments for conditions such as depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
In addition to his role at JED, MacPhee has served on the boards of several organizations, including as the inaugural board chair of Bottom Line New York and positions with the S. Jay Levy Fellowship for Future Leaders at City College, HIV Hero and the Benebikira Sisters of Rwanda Foundation. He has also served as an adviser to innovative public health organizations such as Crisis Text Line and Trek Medics. MacPhee’s journey into mental health advocacy is deeply personal, shaped by his own challenges as a young adult. His work has been recognized with the Allan Rosenfield Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health, highlighting his commitment to advancing mental health initiatives. He earned an M.B.A. from NYU.
