APAL Director Dr. Saira Kalia Recognized for Continued Excellence in Healthcare as a Doctor
RICHARDSON, TX, May 23, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Saira Kalia, MD, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who.
Dr. Kalia is a nationally recognized leader in reproductive psychiatry and a tireless advocate for women's mental health. She currently serves as the director of the Arizona Perinatal and Pediatric Psychiatry Access Line (APAL) at the University of Arizona, where she has overseen both clinical and administrative operations since 2022. Under her leadership, the program—valued at $2.5 million annually—has grown to serve families across Arizona and established one of the country's newest pediatric psychiatry access lines, the 49th of its kind in the United States.
In addition to directing APAL, Dr. Kalia is an associate professor at the University of Arizona. Her prior roles at Banner include medical director and associate psychiatry residency program director, and she began her tenure as a faculty psychiatrist there in 2017.
Dr. Kalia's professional affiliations include the American Psychiatric Association, the Arizona Psychiatric Society, and the Association of Psychiatry Directors. Her academic and clinical excellence is grounded in a strong educational foundation: she earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Aga Khan University in 2008, followed by her psychiatry residency at the University of Arizona in 2016.
Born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, Dr. Kalia's early experiences with gender inequity deeply shaped her lifelong commitment to advocating for women's health and education. Inspired by her mother's fierce dedication to girls' education in the face of societal resistance, Dr. Kalia has translated those values into her work in the U.S., where she has focused on supporting families and elevating underserved communities. Drawing wisdom from her international family she embraces a global perspective in shaping local solutions.
Dr. Kalia attributes her success to hard work, visionary mentorship, and strong team collaboration. She believes that thriving teams foster strategic decision-making and that true success is collective, while challenges are often faced in isolation.
Outside of her academic and clinical endeavors, Dr. Kalia remains deeply engaged with community organizations including PostPartum Support International and Women's Health Innovations. She was honored with the prestigious Women in Medicine Torch Bearer Award in 2024 and has received eight teaching awards recognizing her dedication as an educator and mentor.
Looking ahead, Dr. Kalia aims to expand mental health access in underserved regions in Arizona by developing models for one-time assessments and evaluations. She is also working collaboratively with other state access line directors to sustain long-term funding and policy support for mental health initiatives. Her future vision focuses on building systems that empower frontline providers and prioritize patients' needs— moving beyond expanding the psychiatrist workforce to innovating holistic community mental health solutions.
In her personal life, Dr. Kalia enjoys dystopian fantasy novels and cherishes time with her son and daughter.
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