Dr. Dillon Small

Biography

Dr. Dillon L. Small is the Director of Sport Performance Psychology and a licensed clinical psychologist. Prior to this role, Dr. Small served as the Chief of Psychological Health for the Air Force Academy Cadet Wing, where he maintained programmatic oversight for a team of embedded mental performance experts that work directly with cadets to ensure high-performance in academics, athletics, and leadership. Dr. Small commissioned into the USAF in 2012 after acceptance into the Health Professions Scholarship program. Following his initial assignment and successful completion of the Clinical Psychology residency at Wright Patterson Medical Center, he was awarded his Doctor of Clinical Psychology from Biola University. He also holds Master's Degrees in Clinical Psychology and Organizational Communication. His research has focused on identification of mindfulness-based practices as psychological prophylaxis against military stress and best practices for embedded performance-focused mental health care. Dr. Small has worked with special operators, elite athletes, and rated air crew on multiple air frames, from C-17s to F-16s and F-35s. He is a Distinguished Graduate of Squadron Officer School (2016) and was recently awarded the "USAFA Medical Service Civilian Enterprise Leadership Excellence Award." Dr. Small separated active-duty service in 2021 but continues military affiliation as a member of the Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Fighter Wing as the Commander of the Aerospace M