Peter L. Sheras, PhD, ABPP, was awarded a Presidential Citation for his life-long dedication to advocacy for psychology and psychologists.
Sheras is a professor in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. He served as director of Clinical Training and chair of the department of human services. Sheras was president of the Virginia Psychological Association and won the Virginia Psychological Foundation Joan Smallwood Service Award. His APA service includes 15 years as APA Practice Organization (APAPO) field staff member, three terms on the Council of Representatives, the Board of Professional Affairs and Board of Educational Affairs, and the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice (CAPP). As CAPP chair, Sheras was instrumental in delineating the roles of APA as a C3 organization and the APAPO as a C6 organization. President of two APA Divisions and a member of the Zero Tolerance Task Force, psychology runs in his family. He is married to psychologist Phyllis Koch-Sheras and father of a psychologist son and daughter-in-law. Shera's life and energy continue to make a difference in the lives of his students, patients and his community.