ERIC
.....BRODERICK

ERIC BRODERICK

From: Broderick, Eric (SAMHSA/OA)
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 2:49 PM
To: SAMHSA - ALL
Subject: Nancy Davis Dear SAMHSA Colleagues,

I regret to inform you that on Saturday, November 20, our former colleague and friend, Dr. Nancy Davis, passed away after a long illness.

Nancy began working in SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services in 1998. People knew Nancy for her charming, Southern wit as much as her scholarly contributions on preventing mental illness and promoting mental health. Nancy was a passionate advocate for improving access to health care, especially mental health services, having worked as a clinical psychologist in Boston and Tennessee (her home State) for over 20 years. She worked tirelessly to improve the quality and availability of prevention and treatment services for the children of our Nation.

While many of you will remember her work, many more of you will remember her sense of humor and good nature despite her own physical challenges. “Scooter” Davis was often seen charging down the hallways from meeting to meeting on her mobility scooter with her homemade license plate “SPD DEMON.” Nancy retired from SAMHSA in 2008 when her body could no longer keep up with her desire to work full time. Nancy had no family in this area so many of her colleagues had become her family. While she enjoyed the benefits of retirement, Nancy missed the daily intellectual and social connection that work provided. It is a testament to Nancy’s spirit that she drew interesting and diverse people together and maintained many lifelong friendships. I wish to extend my thanks and condolences to those of you who stepped in and filled Nancy’s life with friendship and support when she most needed it.

I know there are examples of this spirit and friendship all over SAMHSA and it makes me proud to work with all of you.

Nancy, Dr. David Satcher and Kana Enomoto