Candidates for APA President
Q1: What will you do to address the challenges of membership composition, growth and participation in APA?
The APA Center for Workforce Studies has recently conducted a comprehensive membership survey, rendering valuable information regarding reasons for joining, staying or leaving. I will review the data to determine what might change the minds of those who left, how to retain current members and how to encourage the 35 percent of eligible doctoral-level psychologists who are not members to join. Listening to these groups is one of the keys to effective growth and increased participation. My platform identifies specific steps I will take to grow APA and foster participation from all sectors (e.g., a clearinghouse for sources of funding).
Q2: What concrete ideas do you have about how APA can better serve our early career psychologists?
Early career psychologists are scientists, educators, public policy advocates and service providers. I will promote training and continuing education programs to better prepare ECPs for the demands of academia, practice and other work. I will promote effective advocacy with the new administration to prioritize psychology through increasing research funding; expanding psychology training grants; funding and debt reduction programs; showcasing mental health parity and integrated services in health-care reform; reduction of mental health disparities; and seeking appropriate levels of compensation for services. I will work for full participation for ECPs through mentoring and promotion of balance of work and life.
