Lisa K Kearney, PhD, ABPP

Candidates’ statements reflect their own views and do not represent the positions of APA or APA Services, Inc.

Psychology is at a pivotal moment, facing both significant challenges and opportunities. Workforce shortages and instability in the training pipeline continue to limit access to care, with demand outpacing supply and clinicians experiencing high caseloads and burnout. At the same time, public trust in science is strained by sociopolitical polarization and misinformation, threatening research funding and individuals’ willingness to seek care.

Major policy shifts are reducing insurance coverage and restricting access for populations with unique needs. Regulatory and reimbursement pressures further complicate practice, research, and training stability. Rapid technological advancements, including AI and digital therapeutics, offer new ways to expand reach, yet also raise ethical, clinical, and regulatory questions that outpace current evidence-based guidance. Financial pressures also impact APA and the field, including reduced federal funding for research and training, vulnerabilities in APA’s publication-driven revenue model, and rising technology and cybersecurity costs. Psychology must advance innovative models of care such as integrated primary care, telehealth, and community-based prevention, while continuing to support traditional effective interventions.

Psychology is urgently needed at the forefront of national public health priorities, including suicide prevention, access to care, workplace stress, and economic volatility. Addressing these issues requires unified advocacy and strong partnerships across our diverse membership and with federal, state, community, and interdisciplinary systems. My experiences navigating complex policy environments, shaping national strategies, overseeing large federal budgets, and leading systemwide implementation position me to partner with APA membership as we address these challenges and strengthen psychology’s impact on the Nation.

Lisa K. Kearney, PhD, ABPP, is a nationally recognized leader in healthcare transformation with a career interweaving psychological science, federal policy development, and enterprise‑level executive leadership, positioning her to contribute meaningfully to the APA Board. As the VA Secretary’s Senior Advisor for Health and Chief Consultant to the Deputy Under Secretary for Health, she developed and executed federal policies; collaborated with Congress, the White House, federal and state agencies; and advised senior executives across the Nation’s largest integrated healthcare system. These roles required a deep understanding of sociopolitical trends, federal funding mechanisms, and the translation of policy into operations.

She previously served as Executive Director of the Veterans Crisis Line/ Deputy Director of Suicide Prevention, leading the national launch of 988 (Press 1), expanding community‑based coalitions to 50 states and 2,500+ communities, and facilitating communication campaigns reaching millions. Earlier roles include Center for Integrated Healthcare Associate Director, training 2,500+ integrated primary care providers, Office of Mental Health Operations Senior Consultant, improving national policy implementation from 68.6% to 91.4%, and Psychology Chief and Training Director locally.

As Founder of Kearney Consulting and Coaching, LLC, she provides consultation in policy development, organizational change, and leadership development. A board‑certified clinical health psychologist, she is editor‑in‑chief of Psychological Services, UT Health San Antonio adjunct professor, author of 50 publications, recipient of the APA Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Institutional Practice, active APA divisions and workgroups contributor, and prior APA’s Board of Professional Affairs Chair, American Academy of Clinical Health Psychology President, and APPIC Board Secretary.

Learn more at www.linkedin.com/in/drlisakearneyopens in new window.