WASHINGTON — Mariquita G. Mullan, PhD, a psychologist with experience in clinical psychology, public health and professional health workforce development, has been named director of the American Psychological Association’s Center for Workforce Studies.
Mullan, of Washington, D.C., assumes the post June 30.
“Dr. Mullan brings a rich background in business, academia, government and health care,” said APA Executive Director for Science Steven J. Breckler, PhD. “Dr. Mullan’s expertise and proven leadership will help move the center to the next level of workforce analysis, helping psychology to better meet the demand for psychological services, education and research.”
“I am honored to have been selected to lead this significant work,” Mullan said. “We have a responsibility to better understand our workforce, including issues of supply, demand, distribution and population needs. With this effort, we will also have an opportunity to anticipate, plan and prepare our workforce to meet future societal needs. I am truly excited to be joining Dr. Breckler and my other APA colleagues at this time.”
Before joining APA, Mullan served as director of the Division of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Education at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). In that post, she led the Bureau of Health Profession’s support for public health and interprofessional workforce development and managed the Public Health, Behavioral Health, Area Health Education Centers and Diversity Branches.
A graduate of Catholic University in Washington, D.C., Mullan earned her PhD in clinicial psychology at Columbia University and an MPH at Johns Hopkins University. Before joining HRSA, Mullan was a member of the faculty at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology.
APA’s Center for Workforce Studies collects, analyzes and disseminates information relevant to psychology’s labor force and educational system. The center also provides information related to need and demand for those in psychology as well as discussions of environmental factors that affect education and workforce in psychology. Information about the center, including many reports and analyses, can be found on the Center for Workforce Studies webpage.
The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA's membership includes nearly 130,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.