PNWU Alumni Dr. Chris Fortier Brings Mental Health Care Home to Yakima
“My greatest joy is being able to provide care to those suffering from mental illness,” says Dr. Chris Fortier, PNWU College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) Class of 2020.
“Yakima is my home, and I hope my work can help transform strangers into friends, and friends into a healthy, thriving community.”
As a Board-Certified Psychiatrist at the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic (YVFWC) — one of the largest community health centers in the Pacific Northwest, providing affordable medical, dental, behavioral health, and social services to underserved populations — Dr. Fortier is making a profound impact on the people he calls his neighbors.
Since joining YVFWC in July 2024, he has been at the forefront of addressing mental health needs in Yakima, working to bridge critical gaps in psychiatric care for vulnerable communities.
Despite being born and raised in Yakima — where his family has lived for five generations — Dr. Fortier’s dedication to medicine was sparked by an unexpected moment thousands of miles away, in what now feels like a different life.
It was 2011, and he was living in Japan, working as an actor and acting instructor, when the largest earthquake in the nation’s history struck, along with a devastating tsunami that decimated the island country.
In the aftermath of the disaster, he witnessed an outpouring of compassion and collective effort to help those in need. It was then that he realized his true calling: to be someone people could turn to in times of crisis. He returned to the U.S. with a newfound purpose; he’d pursue a career in medicine, and ensure he was prepared to provide that help.
With wholehearted commitment to that undeterrable goal, he returned to Yakima and enrolled in PNWU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.
As the first in his family to pursue higher education, Dr. Fortier’s journey back home was anything but easy. “I had to completely relearn how to study,” he admits. “Science and medicine were a completely different world, but my passion drove me to succeed.”
Still, like many students, financial concerns loomed large. Dr. Fortier knew that funding his education would require sacrifices. It was PNWU’s Rowland and Elsie Seal Scholarship that made a difference in the financial hurdles he’d otherwise be forced to focus on.
“The Seal Scholarship gave me peace of mind,” he says. “It meant I didn’t have to rely entirely on student loans. It allowed me to focus on my studies and immerse myself in the community. I was even able to mentor students and participate in extracurricular activities — things I may not have had the bandwidth for otherwise.”
“Getting that support gave me such a feeling of honor and pride,” he adds, “knowing that others had enough faith in me to award me this gift.”
To the donors who made his scholarship possible, Dr. Fortier offers a heartfelt message:
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your generosity helped me achieve my dream of returning to Yakima to practice medicine. It is a gift that will continue to blossom in our community as we work to make our home a healthier, happier place to live.”
And to those considering investing in scholarships for future PNWU students, he has a simple but powerful plea:
“Please do. The financial assistance scholarships provide can make the difference between a student completing their medical training or not. The gift I received will continue to bear fruit for many years through my commitment to serving the patients of Yakima.”
The Power of Giving: Supporting Educational Excellence at PNWU
Gifts of all sizes are essential to PNWU’s ability to deliver educational excellence and fulfill its mission of preparing future healthcare leaders. Among the most impactful contributions are scholarships for medical students. These scholarships provide critical financial support, helping students manage the significant costs associated with medical education.
Your support empowers aspiring physicians to pursue their calling, often enabling them to serve in underserved communities where they are needed most. Every scholarship is an investment in the future of healthcare—and in the lives of the patients our graduates will serve.
Join us in shaping the future of medicine. Your gift makes a difference.