Elizabeth Katz received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998. After completing her internship at the Perry Point VA Hospital, she accepted a Post-Doctoral position at Johns Hopkins University's Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit under the direction of Dr. Maxine Stitzer. In January 2000, Dr. Katz joined the Friends Research Institute, Inc. (FRI), Social Research Center, also in Baltimore. She began as a project manager on a NIDA-funded study of early engagement strategies for substance dependent patients in outpatient, drug-free treatment,but was rapidly promoted to co-investigator on that study and was awarded the

FRI New Investigator Award, FRI's highest honor. During her time at the Social Research Center, Dr. Katz has submitted several grants to NIH as either principal or co-investigator and has had lead responsibility on the development of a group-based treatment for adolescent substance abusers. As a licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Katz has been involved in supervising a Ph.D.-level therapist and has been conducting group therapy with federal offenders with substance use disorders and/or mental health concerns. In her free time, Dr. Katz enjoys going to the zoo, to the aquarium, roller-blading, and hiking with her husband, David Highfield who is also a research scientist at FRI, her two daughters, Grayson (age 7) and Samantha (age 21 months), and her two dogs,
Kodi and Hobo.