Mary Peterson, PhD, for her tireless efforts and extensive leadership providing equitable psychological services to at-risk communities, especially in rural areas. Peterson has been a force behind translating science into practice, establishing services to increase access to care. She has done so by creating partnerships with primary care and emergency departments, county organizations and schools. Under her leadership, the emergency department risk assessment consultation service has expanded to include both county hospital EDs and nine times more master’s prepared clinical psychology students, and provides services to all insurances in order to reduce barriers to care and reach the need of the community. Peterson also has spearheaded the development of psychological services in women’s health, pediatric care and the creation of a community mental health clinic.
Peterson has been recognized as an outstanding leader and administrator. She has held leadership positions on the board of directors for the Oregon Psychological Association including president, treasurer, secretary and director at large. She has been selected for the American Psychological Association Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology. She is also on the Quality and Clinical Advisory Panel (QCAP) for the Yamhill County Care Organization and is the program director for the graduate program in clinical psychology at George Fox University. In these positions, Peterson’s motivation has always been to improve access to underserved populations and highlight the benefit of psychological science and practice to society.
Peterson has developed a number of practica, internships, postdoctoral fellowships and leadership opportunities for her students. The focus is always on increased access to care. Through her mentoring and training, more students are entering the health service psychology workforce ready to build bridges and break barriers. She also mentors a plethora of early career psychologists with a commitment to diversity and equity.
For her extensive mentoring and training of the next generation of psychologists and her commitment to expanding psychological services to reach under-served areas, I am pleased to present this APA Presidential Citation to Mary Peterson, PhD.