Shambra Mulder, Ph.D.

Shambra Mulder is the gubernatorial-appointed Deputy Commissioner for the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID) within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS). In this role, she led DBHDID in the revision of departmental policies and procedures and the creation of a department-wide strategic plan. She serves as the interim Director for the Division of Program Integrity, which is responsible for other critical organizational functions such as the development of regulations and the licensure of substance use disorder treatment programs. Prior to her current role in the, she served as Executive Director for the CHFS Office of Ombudsman and Administrative Review, responsible for investigating consumer complaints and working with management to resolve them, as well as identifying patterns of complaints, and recommending corrective action when appropriate.

Dr. Mulder is a Licensed Psychologist that is nationally certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), an effective evidence-based treatment for treating youth with complex trauma. Dr. Mulder is the founding director of a nonprofit for which she co-authored a coloring book titled, “Talking about Mental Health with your Child & Coloring Book.” She is a former professor at Kentucky State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), where she taught graduate courses in assessments, classroom behavioral management, and teaching students with disabilities. She is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA).

Dr. Mulder is a U.S. Navy veteran and a Kentucky-certified school psychologist who began her career in a rural public school district. She completed the advanced certification for the Director of Special Education, a Master’s, Specialist, and a doctoral degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Kentucky. She most recently completed an advanced certificate in psychotherapy at Bellarmine University (currently located at Loyola University Chicago) for clinicians seeking to expand their clinical skills.