William Vega, Ph.D. is now retired. He was formerly executive director of the USC Roybal Institute and a Provost Professor at the University of Southern California (USC) with appointments in social work, preventive medicine, psychiatry, family medicine, psychology and gerontology. He also held the Cleofas and Victor Ramirez Professor of Practice, Policy, Research and Advocacy for the Latino Population at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.
An elected member of the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine), Dr. Vega has conducted community and clinical research projects on health, mental health and substance abuse in diverse regions of the United States and Latin America.
His specialty is multi-cultural epidemiologic and services research with adolescents and adults, supported by multiple public and private agencies and foundations. He one of the most highly cited researchers worldwide in social science research over the last 20 years. He oversaw the community survey of psychosis literacy conducted in the San Fernando Valley both before and after launching the community campaign.