Of his life, Dr. Ragusea states:"My father, Tony, was Italian, as was my mother, Marie, and my 16 aunts and uncles. From all their happy unions came my 22 cousins, and everybody lived on Randall Avenue in the Bronx, where I was born, March 26, 1947. I've lived in New York, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, Pennsylvania and Florida, while working as a professional waiter, cook, actor, director, teacher and, for a quarter century, as a psychologist. Being a father and husband are the most important elements of my existence. I am incredibly proud of my two talented sons, and I've loved my wonderful wife for 36 years. But, being a psychologist is the focus of my life; I've been in practice for 25 years."

Education: Stephen A. Ragusea, PsyD, ABPP, received his doctorate from the APA-approved program in clinical psychology at Baylor University.

Practice: Ragusea is in private practice in Key West, Fla., and also practices at the Key West AIDS clinic. He worked for 25 years in a large group practice at the Child, Adult and Family Psychological Center in State College, Pa. He also has worked in mental health centers, state and community hospitals, and as founding CEO/clinical director of a 92-bed private psychiatric hospital.

Research: Ragusea served from 1995 to 2004 as founding chair of Pennsylvania's Practice-Research Network, an effective model uniting practitioners and research psychologists to conduct clinically relevant and scientifically rigorous psychological research. See: Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice (Vol. 8, No. 2, pages 155–167).

Public service: Pennsylvania Board of Psychology, 2001–2004. Presently, Helpline Board of Directors, Key West.

Teaching: Taught at Penn State University and Harvard Medical School and presented workshops across North America on family therapy, forensic psychology, medical psychology, the need for prison reform and the importance of developing practice-research networks.

Publications: Published more than 45 articles and book chapters related to professional psychology. Serves on the editorial board of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice.

Broadcasting: Ragusea has appeared as a psychologist on television and radio shows broadcast throughout the Northeast.

Pennsylvania Psychological Association: Fellow of PPA, served as PPA's president, Clinical Division president, Hospital Practice chair, PennPsyPAC board member, founding chair of PPA's Practice Research Network and on numerous PPA task forces and working groups.

APA: Fellow of APA, served on Council of Representatives for 6 years and as chair of the State and Provincial Caucus. Also served on numerous APA task forces and working groups, including the presidential task force on Envisioning and Accessing New Professional Roles. See: Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (Vol. 32, pages 79–87).

Florida Psychological Association: Ragusea is on the Board of Directors of the Florida Psychological Association and chair of the Ethics Committee.

Certifications: ABPP Diplomate in Family Psychology, ABPN Diplomate in Neuropsychology, ACFP Certificate in Forensic Psychology, American Red Cross Certificate in Disaster Mental Health Services.

Honors: PPA Award for Distinguished Service to Psychology, APA Karl F. Heiser Presidential Award for Advocacy, PPA Presidential Award for Outstanding Contributions to Psychology.

Web site: www.raguseaforapa.com

Ragusea's candidate statement

I'm a clinician, in full-time practice for a quarter century. Psychology has given me much, and I'd be pleased to give back by serving our profession. I offer to serve as APA president from a practitioner's perspective.

Psychology is changing human existence. "Today," as Ron Levant would say, "psychology is a household word." For most of human history, folks didn't think about personal and interpersonal issues in psychological terms as we do today. Psychological dysfunction went essentially unaltered throughout the millennia; that's different now. Things are changing because psychology is making it happen. Psychologists—clinicians and the researchers who guide clinical judgment—are actually changing the course of human history. Psychologists must learn to utilize psychology's power more effectively and more wisely.

We must build upon the strengths of our existing science while expanding into a rapidly arriving future full of social and technological change. Increasing specialization, online therapy and psychopharmacology are just the start of big changes in our profession. The psychological impact of genome manipulation is nearly upon us. Managed care is hurting us all. National health insurance is coming as certainly as overpopulation. Psychologists must be ready to address these challenges.

Psychotherapy is ultimately too confining. We must broaden our vision and expand the scope of psychological practice beyond the narrow view of the consulting room. The front page of any newspaper provides a quick glimpse of the ways in which society needs doctors of behavior. It is our profession’s destiny to be relevant, to respond to humanity’s pressing needs. It is why we became psychologists.

I want to help psychology move into the future. During this campaign, I will share my ideas about how, as president of APA, I hope to lead psychology into tomorrow. We’ve done well but we can do better.

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