Commencement

Dr. Samantha Boardman P’24, ’26 is a New York City-based psychiatrist, assistant professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College, and parent to two Millbrook students, Baker ’24 and Vivian ’26. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and her medical degree from Cornell University Medical College before completing a four-year residency in psychiatry at Weill Cornell. While working in private practice in Manhattan, Dr. Boardman expanded her focus beyond traditional mental health treatment to study resilience, optimism, and post-traumatic growth, later earning a master’s degree in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Today, Dr. Boardman is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and serves as co-chair of the Positive Psychiatry Section for the World Psychiatric Association. She is the author of Everyday Vitality and founder of PositivePrescription.com, a platform centered on positive psychology, human strength, and mental well-being. Her work has appeared in publications including The American Journal of Psychiatry, The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Psychology Today, and The Wall Street Journal. She has also appeared as a guest on the Today Show and Good Day New York.

A dedicated member of the Millbrook community for nearly a decade, Dr. Boardman joined the Board of Trustees in 2023, where she chairs the School Life Committee and also serves on the Physical Resources Committee. She is deeply aligned with Millbrook’s mission of ensuring every student is “known and needed,” and has seen firsthand the impact of the school’s close relationships and supportive culture on her own children. Dr. Boardman actively supports efforts that encourage students to feel both heard and responsible for shaping a positive, engaged community on campus.