Bruce S. Liese, PhD, is recognized with this APA Citizen Psychologist Presidential Citation for his leadership and sustained commitment to Douglas County and the city of Lawrence, Kansas in both volunteer and elected capacities.
Liese has been involved in Citizen Psychologist activities since high school when he was invited to assist in the Neighborhood Youth Corps. In his role, he and a school psychologist traveled throughout the community interviewing students and families to determine their needs for programming at a time when drug and alcohol use among secondary school students was on the rise.
He continued to serve throughout college (SUNY Albany) as a volunteer at The Refer Switchboard Suicide Prevention Hotline in Albany, New York. And then after graduating with his PhD, Liese initiated an addiction meditation group at a local church that served disadvantaged and indigent individuals. Following the success of this meditation program, he founded a volunteer corps in the small city of Lecompton, Kansas (population less than 600).
During his career in academic medicine, Liese ran for elected office and became a member and then president of the City Council in Lecompton. During this time, he participated in a year-long Citizens Police Academy. Following his term in office, he joined a county-wide commission known as Eco-squared (ECO2), which was comprised of city and county leaders aiming to facilitate economic and environmental growth in the community.
Following his service on ECO2, Liese was elected for two consecutive terms by the county commission to serve on the 10-member Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission, and was elected twice by his peers to serve as chair. During his tenure on the commission, Liese developed the Planning Commission Orientation Program, still in operation today. His nominator noted how important the use of his psychology skills was during meetings that had been difficult historically. In fact, a recommender stated, “This is the area where Dr. Liese shined the brightest because he was able to apply his skills as a psychologist to help bring even the most contentious meeting to an amicable consensus. Planning Commission meetings can be extremely stressful and emotional for members of the public and Dr. Liese made sure that every participant in the process was recognized and appreciated, regardless of the outcome. I watched in amazement as citizens who clearly lost their cases left the chambers completely satisfied because he made them feel that their positions had been heard and considered. He engaged the public in dialogue and asked questions clearly rooted in psychology to diffuse tense situations. When Dr. Liese applied his skills as a Psychologist, angry neighbors were turned into new friends.”
Finally, Liese has served on the board of directors and continues to advocate for Headquarters Counseling Center, a suicide prevention crisis center serving Douglas County and the state of Kansas.