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.
I want to make psychology a household word. As one of the learned professions, we have much to offer society. Building on the Decade of Behavior and "Talk to Someone Who Can Help" campaigns, I will focus on raising the visibility and perceived relevance of psychology to solving society's most difficult problems. Public education initiatives will bring the best of psychological science and practice to the center of the public eye. Legislative advocacy will aim at significantly enhancing funding for psychological science and effectively positioning psychology to emerge as a top-tier health profession in the coming integration of health care.
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?
I will focus on new initiatives that add value to APA membership. In addition, I support the approaches identified by the Task Force on Membership Retention and Recruitment for enhancing membership:
Reinforce identification with psychology as a primary reason for membership.
Increase the conversion of student members to full members through targeted services for new psychologists.
Address the "dual-dues" issue, especially for new psychologists who want to belong to APA and another association.
Recognize and support the diversity of the discipline and profession through collaboration with divisions, state and provincial associations, regional associations and specialty societies.
