Candidates for APA President
Given that there is only so much that an incoming APA president can do during his or her 12-month presidency, state and then discuss the one issue about which you feel most passionate and will pursue with vigor if you are elected.
"Embracing our differences through discourse and knowledge" will be my central theme. Facilitating understanding among students and members, disenfranchised groups and APA leadership, scientists and practitioners requires dialogue. Dialogue must be reasonable, informed and based on evidence, and should not be governed by fear, custom or prejudice. Dialogue among groups should buttress our rich differences and advance knowledge, while encouraging unique points of view. Effective dialogue will include:
Identification of issues that threaten to divide the membership.
Open discourse among the major constituencies.
Infusion of empirical knowledge and information.
Implementations of integrative resolutions.
The APA Council of Representatives has named membership recruitment and retention as a major initiative for the association. What proposals do you have in this area?
APA is a world leader for psychology. I will focus recruitment on two groups:
Those who have either not joined or who have left APA.
Psychologists throughout the world who may find APA's leadership helpful for advancing psychology elsewhere.
I will open a dialogue among established members, students, former members, etc., and will challenge them to recreate an APA that will serve them.
I will also explore ways of capitalizing on APA's leadership in the world to develop a worldwide membership. APA can be a world association while still ensuring that the North American priorities are maintained.
