Interim CEO and Executive Vice President Cynthia D. Belar, PhD, ABPP, was awarded a Presidential Citation for her extraordinary contributions to APA.
While serving as interim CEO and executive vice president of the APA, Belar conducted a listening tour and established regular communication with APA employees; hired a new general counsel; re-structured Membership, Governance, Communications and the Executive offices.
Belar conducted an extensive review of the 2017 budget and recommended adjustments necessary to get on a path to a balanced integrated budget; the balancing of our C3 and C6 missions were always at the forefront of discussions.
Belar's accomplishments include holding an APA meeting on police-community violence, inventory analysis, a review of the Diversity Implementation Plan, improvements to the short-term Disability/Maternity Leave Plan and the new APA Job Classification System.
She was instrumental in creating internal work groups such as APA Grows, Workforce 2025, APA Saves, Advocacy and Leadership Conferences. Belar hired consultants to talk with staff regarding blind-spots and change in management to determine how staff were feeling about the changes that were taking place at APA.
This herculean performance occurred in little more than a year’s time during one of the most difficult periods in APA’s history.
These accomplishments occurred in addition to her exemplary leadership of 14 years as executive director of the Education Directorate with deep admiration and appreciation for her lengthy and highly successful service to psychology and APA. We are deeply indebted to her passion, wisdom and dedication.