Alex McClanahan, an MD/MHA graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2021, is currently a resident physician in psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina. He previously received his BA in Biology with a Minor in Government at the University of Virginia. In Charleston, he's the Advocacy and Policy Representative for the state APA branch, lobbying for evidence-based opioid treatments and collaborative care. He contributes to the Addiction Crisis Task Force, partnering with state authorities on opioid strategies. Institutionally, he's been president of the MUSC house staff, working with administrators to enhance the resident environment. He was honored as "Resident of the Year" (2022-2023) and now serves on the Hospital Medical Executive Committee.Nationally, Alex was selected as a public psychiatry fellow for the American Psychiatric Association and the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. His responsibilities include positions on the APA Committee for Reimbursement and the Council on Healthcare Systems and Financing. He recently co-authored a journal article on post-crisis psychiatric care.Before South Carolina, Alex managed the COVID-19 response for the Virginia Health Department. He focused initially on contact tracing, later shifting to vaccine distribution. Alex managed a 30+ workforce for Virginia's vaccination centers. Furthermore, he headed a team that created a newsletter, updating healthcare leaders on pandemic developments.During medical school, his other leadership roles included Chair of VCU Honor Council, Board Trustee for the Richmond Academy of Medicine, and Co-Chair of the VCU Dean's Fund. He also developed a health equity course for VCU undergraduates that continues to this day. Beyond academics, Alex is an avid tennis player and mountaineer, scaling peaks like Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Rainier, and Aconcagua.