Leadership and Governance
Cynthia D. Belar, PhD
Dr. Belar is the Executive Director of APA's Education Directorate. She is professor emerita in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida Health Science Center where she developed academic and clinical tracks in medical psychology at the doctoral, internship and postdoctoral levels.
Board of Educational Affairs (BEA)
The Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) shall consist of not fewer than 12 members of the association, who shall serve terms of not less than three years each. It shall have general concern for education and training affairs which transcend more than one division or group of psychologists. Members of the BEA shall be selected to represent the range of interest characteristic of psychology in all its aspects.
Mission and Purpose
Recommend educational policy for APA to the Board of Directors and Council of Representatives.
Recommend to the Board of Directors and Council of Representatives changes to its programs and operational priorities which would allow APA to take a leadership role for the nation in the educational arena.
Serve consultative and advisory role with respect to ongoing planning and operations of the Education Directorate, in consultation with its executive director.
Ensure importance and commitment to diversity in education and training in all of its activities and initiatives.
Membership
BEA shall consist of not fewer than 12 members of the association and may include up to five external participants.
Members serve for staggered three-year terms; external participants are appointed to serve for one year but may be reappointed for up to three years.
Three BEA members are nominated by the appropriate governance group of the Practice, Public Interest and Science directorates.
External participants are appointed to provide BEA with the benefit of expertise in a variety of areas that may not exist within the BEA membership in that given year.
BEA meetings are held twice a year — in the spring and fall. Conference calls and discussion over electronic email lists are administered in between meetings.
Members
2013 Chair: Celiane Rey-Casserly, PhD (2011-2013)
Leona S. Aiken, PhD (2011-2013)
G. Andrew H. Benjamin, JD, PhD, ABPP (2012-2014)
Sharon L. Berry, PhD (2013-2015)
Carolyn Zerbe Enns, PhD (2011-2013)
Amy C. Fineburg, PhD (2013-2015)
Sandra Graham, PhD (2012-2014)
Tammy L. Hughes, PhD (2011-2013)
John C. Norcross, PhD, ABPP (2013-2015)
Julie Penley, PhD (2012-2014)
Jodie B. Ullman, PhD (2012-2014)
Karen F. Wyche, PhD (2013 -2015)
Staff Liaison
Amber Shifflett (email)
Committees Reporting to BEA
APA Task Forces and Working Groups reporting to BEA
- BEA Task Force on Psychology Major Competencies
- BEA Working Group on the Certification and Training of High School Psychology Teachers
- BEA Virtual Working Group on Restrictions Affecting Diversity Training in Graduate Education
- Task Force on Applying Psychological Science to the Analysis of Data for Teacher Education Program Improvement
- BEA Supervision Guidelines Task Force