Minority Fellowship Program Achievement Awards

The Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) Achievement Awards are in celebration of MFP fellows who have made significant achievements in their professional careers and contributions to the field of behavioral health, particularly within underserved communities. Nominees are reviewed and chosen by a selection committee comprised of members from the MFP Training Advisory Committeeopens in new window and are presented annually at APA convention during the MFP Poster Session, Social Hour, and Achievement Award Ceremony.

• Melba J. T. Vasquez Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions
  Melba J. T. Vasquez was a part of MFP’s very first fellowship cohort in 1975. She went on to become an American psychologist who served as the 2011 president of the American Psychological Association. Vasquez was the APA's first Latina president. She has authored multiple works on ethics in psychotherapy.

• Dalmas A. Taylor Distinguished Contributions Award
  Dalmas A. Taylor was a social justice leader, scholar, politician, university administrator, mentor and teacher. He was instrumental in establishing the Minority Fellowship Program at the American Psychological Association and served as its first Director. During his tenure he increased APA’s attention to the inclusion of people of color via several initiatives, including the Summit of Ethnic Minority Psychologists in 1978.

• James M. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award
  James M. Jones is a professor, researcher, author, and joined the APA in 1977. He served as the second Director of the Minority Fellowship Program and remained in the role for 30 years. His leadership, vision, and advocacy for diversity in psychology paved the way for what MFP is today.

• The Andrew T. Dailey Master’s Practitioner Award for Distinguished Contributions
  MFP’s newest award was named in honor Andrew T. Dailey, who served as the director for 18 years. Before his 2020 departure, he implemented multiple new fellowships, including training programs for students pursuing terminal master’s degrees. He contributed to the substantial growth of MFP and was a dedicated advocate for the advancement of master's practitioners in the field of psychology.

Nominees must be previous participants in the APA Minority Fellowship Program. Nominations must be under psychology or interdisciplinary in one of the four areas: research, public service, teaching and training, or innovations in treatment. Eligibility for specific award categories is based on the following years of experience after receiving a doctoral degree (or master’s for the Andrew T. Dailey award):

• Melba J. T. Vasquez Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions: 5 to 10 years of professional experience.

• Dalmas A. Taylor Distinguished Contributions Award: 11 to 25 years of professional experience.

• James M. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award: more than 25 years of professional experience (retirement not required).
  

• The Andrew T. Dailey Master’s Practitioner Award for Distinguished Contributions: 5+ years of professional experience.

Nominations are accepted for one of the following areas of contribution:

1. Research: Achievements are based primarily on overall research productivity; particularly as it relates to ethnic minority health or health services. Standards of accomplishment include empirical and theoretical contributions to knowledge; influence on other scholars conducting research in the field; publication in academic journals; programmatic and grant-funded research.
2. Mental Health Public Service: Achievements are based primarily on the overall impact of their work on the development and implementation of social and public policies that contribute positively to ethnic minority persons or communities. Standards of accomplishment include evidence of community impact, legislative action and public policy development.
3. Teaching and Training: Achievements are based primarily on their development of other ethnic minority professionals through teaching and training. Standards of accomplishment are reflected by the accomplishments of students who have assumed careers as psychologists, professors, clinicians, etc. and made their own contributions to ethnic minority mental health through their research or service activities; and the development of exemplary courses or training models, mentoring, recruitment, or other forms of professional development of ethnic minority behavioral health professionals.
4. Innovations in the Treatment of Ethnic Minority Populations: Achievements are based primarily on the impact of the clinical mental health services they provide to ethnic minority persons or communities. Standards of accomplishment include contributions to the theory or practice of mental health treatment in ethnic minority communities, the development of service delivery models or systems; the development of culturally specific or appropriate assessment tools or models; and/or the development of innovative substance abuse prevention and treatment models.

A list of eligible fellows by award category can be found on MFP’s online nomination systemopens in new window.

MFP fellows meeting the eligibility criteria may self-nominate or be nominated by others. All individuals submitting a nomination must include:

• nomination form

• nomination letter

Should the nominee be selected to move forward to the final review phase, they will be notified and requested to submit the following materials:

• Current CV/resume
• Cover Letter/Personal Statement (only required if the initial nomination letter was by someone else)
• Letter of Reference
• Letters of Support From Students/Trainees (no more than 2) *only required for teaching nominations*
• Relevant publications (no more than 2) *only required for research nominations*
• Optional: Other professional materials or commendations relevant to the award (no more than 2)

Submission Deadlines
Full Nomination Package: March 22, 2026 

Should the nominee be selected to move forward by the selection committee, they will be notified at a later date and requested to submit additional materials (full nomination package) to be a final award candidate. All nominations must be submitted using MFP’s online nomination formopens in new window.

Contact the APA Minority Fellowship Program via email with any questions or concerns.

2025

Roberto L. Abreu, PhD (Melba J.T. Vasquez Early Career — Research)
Christine Pajunar Li-Grining, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Gayle Y. Iwamasa, PhD, HSPP (James Jones — Public Service)

2024

David Orozco (Andrew T. Dailey Master’s — Public Service)
Oswaldo Moreno, PhD (Melba J.T. Vasquez Early Career — Research)
Rheeda Walker, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Jeanette Altarriba, PhD (James Jones — Research)

2023

Yessenia Arias, MA (Andrew T. Dailey Master’s — Public Service)
Collette Chapman-Hilliard, PhD (Melba J.T. Vasquez Early Career — Research)
Apryl A. Alexander, PsyD (Dalmas Taylor — Teaching and Training)
Iva Greywolf, PhD (James Jones — Public Service)

2022

Jioni A. Lewis, PhD (Melba J. T. Vasquez Early Career – Research)
Rosa I. Arriaga, PhD (Dalmas Taylor – Research)
Judith A. Arroyo, PhD (James Jones – Public Service)

2021

Alisia (Giac-Thao), PhD (Melba J. T. Vasquez Early Career – Research)
Armando Pina, PhD (Dalmas Taylor – Research)

2020

Le Ondra Clark Harvey, PhD (Melba J. T. Vasquez Early Career – Public Service)
Tené T. Lewis, PhD (Dalmas Taylor – Research)
LaPearl Logan Winfrey, PhD (James Jones – Teaching and Training)

2019

Sannisha Dale, PhD (Melba J. T. Vasquez Early Career – Research)
Zewelanji “Zewe” Serpell, PhD (Dalmas Taylor – Teaching and Training)
Hope Landrine, PhD (James Jones – Research)

2018

Miraj U. Desai, PhD (Melba J. T. Vasquez Early Career – Research)
Ayanna K. Thomas, PhD (Dalmas Taylor – Research)
Jeanne E. Manese, PhD (James Jones – Service)
Thomas A. Parham, PhD (Special Award)

2017

Shu-wen Wang, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Denise Chavira, PhD (Dalmas Taylor— Research)
Connie Hunt, PhD (James Jones — Public Service)
Angela L. Walker Franklin, PhD (Special Award)

2016

Kevin Leo Yabut Nadal, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Cheryl Anne Boyce, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Public Service)
Harriet G. McCombs, PhD (James Jones — Research)
Ana Mari Cauce, PhD (Special Award)
Isiaah Crawford, PhD (Special Award)

2015

Cortney Warren, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Rosalie Corona, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Public Service)
Suzanne Randolph, PhD (James Jones — Research)

2014

Nadine Nakamura, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Sumie Okazaki, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Donelda Cook, PhD (James Jones — Innovations in Treatment)

2013

Monica Ulibarri, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Helen A. Neville, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Barbara W. K. Yee, PhD (James Jones — Teaching and Training)
Kamana'opono M. Crabbe, PhD (Special Award)

2012

E. J. R. David, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Jeanette Altarriba, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Kermit A. Crawford, PhD (James Jones– Teaching and Training)

2011

Carlos Valiente, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Michele Cooley-Strickland, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Ana Mari Cauce, PhD (James Jones — Research)
Melba J.T. Vasquez, PhD (Special Award)

2010

Armando Pina, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Frederick Leong, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Faye Belgrave, PhD (James Jones — Teaching and Training)

2009

Wei-Chin Hwang, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Lynda Brown-Wright, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Hortensia Amaro, PhD (James Jones — Research)

2008

Lawrence Yang, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Ana Abraido-Lanza, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Thomas Parham, PhD (James Jones — Innovative Treatments)

2007

Don Operario, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Steven Lopez, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)
Larke Nahme Huang, PhD (James Jones — Mental Health Public Service)

2005

Richard Lee, PhD (Early Career — Teaching and Training)
Hope Landrine, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Public Service)

2004

Sumie Okazaki, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Christine Iijima Hall, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Public Service)
Melba J.T. Vasquez, PhD (James Jones — Innovative Treatments)

2002

Ana Mari Cauce, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research and Policy)

2001

Hirokazu Yoshikawa, PhD (Early Career — Research)
Hortensia Amaro, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)

2000

Faye Belgrave, PhD (Dalmas Taylor — Research)

1997

Judith Arroyo, PhD (Early Career Teaching and Training)
Deborah Johnson, PhD ( Research)
Sherry Davis Molock, PhD (Teaching and Training)
Robert Sellers, PhD (Research)
Beverly Daniel Tatum, PhD (Public Service)

1996

Isiaah Crawford, PhD (Research)
Joseph Horvat, Jr., PhD (Teaching and Training)
Connie Hunt, PhD (Public Service)
Robert Jagers, PhD (Research)

1995

Jeanette Altarriba, PhD (Early Career — Teaching and Training)
Sandra Lewis, PsyD (Public Service)
Richard Major, PhD (Research)
Jennifer Moy West, PhD (Innovations in Treatment)

1994

Marjorie Hill, PhD (Public Service)
Hope Landrine, PhD (Research)
Jeffery Scott Mio, PhD (Teaching and Training)

1993

Faye Belgrave, PhD (Research)
Deborah Ridley Brome, PhD (Teaching and Training)
Connie Chan, PhD (Innovations in Treatment)
Fernando Cordero, PhD (Public Service)

1992

Ana Mari Cauce, PhD (Research )
Christine Iijima Hall, PhD (Public Service)
Frederick T.L. Leong, PhD (Teaching and Training)
Iris Zavala-Martinez, PhD (Public Service)

1991

Steven Lopez, PhD (Research)
Hortensia Amaro, PhD (Public Service)
Curtis Branch, PhD (Teaching and Training)
Maria Root, PhD (Innovations in Treatment)

1990

Deborah Coates, PhD (Innovations in Treatment)
Anthony Jackson, PhD (Public Service)
Donna Nagata, PhD (Research)
Carmen Vazquez, PhD (Teaching and Training)

1989

Thomas A. Parham, PhD (Research)
Cynthia Telles, PhD (Public Service)
Melba J. T. Vasquez, PhD (Teaching and Training)