APAGS Subcommittee Chairs
Chair, Advocacy Coordinating Team (ACT) — Paul Ascheman, MS (2011-2013)
Ascheman is a PhD candidate in counseling psychology at Iowa State University. Previously serving as APAGS Regional Advocacy Coordinator in the North Central region and State Advocacy Coordinator of Iowa, he worked extensively with the Iowa Psychological Association on advocacy and student-related issues. As chair, he hopes to increase student inclusion and participation in state, provincial and territorial psychological associations, promoting partnerships that benefit both parties. He also seeks to improve the visibility of APAGS student resources and highlight advocacy training as a graduate-level skill. Currently working for the ISU Student Counseling Service and an advanced practicum trainee with the Iowa 5th Judicial District, Ascheman’s interests include research and practice ethics, as well as issues related to law enforcement and military personnel. He aided in the development and trainining of the Des Moines Police Department's Peer Support Team.
Chair, Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA) — Jasmin Llamas, MA (2012-2014)
Llamas is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in counseling, clinical and school psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Interested in well-being and resilience among disadvantaged backgrounds, Llamas’ current projects include research examining resilience and thriving among Latina/os; developing resilience and thriving scale for Latina/os. Her dissertation is a community-based mixed methods study examining community members' resilience in the aftermath of a disaster. Llamas’ clinical work focuses on conducting assessments and providing group therapy at a hospital psychiatric inpatient unit. A previous CEMA committee member and now CEMA chair, Llamas aims to promote access to mentoring for racial/ethnic minority graduate students and diversity training for all students. As the voice for racial/ethnic minority graduate students, CEMA works to cultivate partnerships and serves as a central resource for all students interested in diversity and multicultural issues.
Chair, Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns (CLGBTC) — Jennifer Vencill, MA (2012-2014)
Vencill is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in counseling psychology at Texas Tech University. Her clinical interests include multicultural and feminist approaches to counseling, LGBTQ and women’s issues, working with survivors of sexual assault/trauma and couples counseling. Broadly speaking, Jennifer’s research interests lie in the domain of human sexuality; she has completed projects on cognitive biases involved in sexual activity and sexting behaviors among college students. Her dissertation will examine the relationships between self-objectification, appearance anxiety, depression, and sexual functioning in women. In her free time, Jennifer is active in several local LGBTQ and women’s advocacy organizations. She also loves to teach, garden, practice yoga and watch zombie movies.
Chair, Convention Committee — Jesse Matthews, PsyD (2011-2013)
Matthews earned his PsyD in clinical psychology from Immaculata University, Penn. He is completing his postdoctoral fellowship at Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems, a community mental health agency, where he also completed his internship. Matthews is responsible for clinical assessments and outpatient individual and family therapy with adults and children. He has also joined a private practice, where he plans to work full-time when he becomes eligible for licensure. Matthews is passionate about promoting psychology as a health profession, reducing mental health stigma and helping people lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. As Convention Committee chair, Matthews works with APAGS governance and advocates for graduate students in psychology. Matthews and the Convention Committee serve to make the annual APA convention a valuable experience for students and an instrumental part of their professional development.
Ascheman is a PhD candidate in counseling psychology at Iowa State University. Previously serving as APAGS Regional Advocacy Coordinator in the North Central region and State Advocacy Coordinator of Iowa, he worked extensively with the Iowa Psychological Association on advocacy and student-related issues. As chair, he hopes to increase student inclusion and participation in state, provincial and territorial psychological associations, promoting partnerships that benefit both parties. He also seeks to improve the visibility of APAGS student resources and highlight advocacy training as a graduate-level skill. Currently working for the ISU Student Counseling Service and an advanced practicum trainee with the Iowa 5th Judicial District, Ascheman’s interests include research and practice ethics, as well as issues related to law enforcement and military personnel. He aided in the development and trainining of the Des Moines Police Department's Peer Support Team.
Chair, Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA) — Jasmin Llamas, MA (2012-2014)
Llamas is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in counseling, clinical and school psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Interested in well-being and resilience among disadvantaged backgrounds, Llamas’ current projects include research examining resilience and thriving among Latina/os; developing resilience and thriving scale for Latina/os. Her dissertation is a community-based mixed methods study examining community members' resilience in the aftermath of a disaster. Llamas’ clinical work focuses on conducting assessments and providing group therapy at a hospital psychiatric inpatient unit. A previous CEMA committee member and now CEMA chair, Llamas aims to promote access to mentoring for racial/ethnic minority graduate students and diversity training for all students. As the voice for racial/ethnic minority graduate students, CEMA works to cultivate partnerships and serves as a central resource for all students interested in diversity and multicultural issues.
Chair, Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns (CLGBTC) — Jennifer Vencill, MA (2012-2014)
Vencill is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in counseling psychology at Texas Tech University. Her clinical interests include multicultural and feminist approaches to counseling, LGBTQ and women’s issues, working with survivors of sexual assault/trauma and couples counseling. Broadly speaking, Jennifer’s research interests lie in the domain of human sexuality; she has completed projects on cognitive biases involved in sexual activity and sexting behaviors among college students. Her dissertation will examine the relationships between self-objectification, appearance anxiety, depression, and sexual functioning in women. In her free time, Jennifer is active in several local LGBTQ and women’s advocacy organizations. She also loves to teach, garden, practice yoga and watch zombie movies.
Chair, Convention Committee — Jesse Matthews, PsyD (2011-2013)
Matthews earned his PsyD in clinical psychology from Immaculata University, Penn. He is completing his postdoctoral fellowship at Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems, a community mental health agency, where he also completed his internship. Matthews is responsible for clinical assessments and outpatient individual and family therapy with adults and children. He has also joined a private practice, where he plans to work full-time when he becomes eligible for licensure. Matthews is passionate about promoting psychology as a health profession, reducing mental health stigma and helping people lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. As Convention Committee chair, Matthews works with APAGS governance and advocates for graduate students in psychology. Matthews and the Convention Committee serve to make the annual APA convention a valuable experience for students and an instrumental part of their professional development.
Chair, Science Committee — Megan Smith, MA (2011-2013)
Smith is a second-year doctoral student in cognitive psychology at Purdue University and holds a Master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Her research focuses on human learning and memory and she is interested in applying cognitive theory to inform best practices in education. As the second chair of the Science Subcommittee, Smith will focus on refining the Basic Psychological Science Grant and the new Junior Scientist Fellowship, and continue to promote the interests of science-focused students within APAGS.