From the President’s Desk: June 2023

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. I’m honored to serve as president of our growing association. This month with the support of our insightful members, incredible staff, and outstanding Board of Representatives and Council of Representatives, I have been able to advance the work of APA’s strategic plan by completing the following:

• presented APA’s Apology for First Peoples at the Society of Indian Psychologists Conference in accordance with the vote of the Council of Representatives;
  
• provided opening keynote at the APA Racial Equity Summit;
• provided Presidential Citations to Joy Angela DeGruy, PHD, Diana Prescott, PhD, Yuying Tsong, PhD, Brendesha Tynes, PhD, and Manuel Zamarripa, PhD;
• facilitated Fireside Chat with Board member and Presidential Initiative Co-Chair Mary Ann McCabe, PhD, ABPP on the Health advisory on social media use in adolescence at the APASI Fly-In Advocacy Days;
• represented APA at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by giving an invited opening keynote on the state of men’s mental health with a focus on men of color;
• provided closing keynote address for APA’s Minority Fellowship Program Institute;
• facilitated APA Board two-day meeting and regular Board of Directors meeting where the agendas covered:
  • Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding working with Warner Brother’s Studios and Oprah on a discussion guide for The Color Purple on coping and stress among African Americans (I will lead the team of writers from various APA Divisions in this initiative);
  • Approval of President-Elect Cynthia de la Fuentes, PhD, initiative on school shootings;
  • Deep dive discussions on important ideas to elevate around membership, awards, Divisions, and fundraising proposals;
  • Consideration of projects around speaking out on big issues (like APA standing with the College Board in support of AP Psychology), climate change and sustainability, leadership and EDI training, APA engagement in federal level crisis response, and product development exploration including telehealth products and/or endorsements;
  • Review of board nominations and slates;
  • Appointed a new public member for the Board of Directors, Lindsay N. Patterson, CPA, CAE, for a three-year term beginning in 2024 from among recommendations provided by the Needs Assessment Slating and Campaign Committee;
  • Review of upcoming Council new business items and other proposals;
  • Approval of steps to enhance communication between the Board and the Council Leadership Team;
  • with Bermuda Psychology Association which is a direct result of our meeting with their Board members and honoring of their efforts during the pandemic at the start of this year;
  • Receipt of finance committee’s reports and recommendations;
  • Received updates on APA 2023 preparations;
  • Receipt of updates on staffing and accessibility efforts;
• attended the APA Finance Committee’s two-day meeting;
• attended APA CODAPAR sessions with Division leaders and debriefed on the various sessions to determine themes and steps forward;
• attended meeting with APA’s Committee on Global Psychology;
• facilitated Board of Directors Executive Committee meeting to discuss president-elect initiative, personnel compensation, and potential changes to elections process (number of candidates required and limiting the number of positions one can run for in a given year);
• hosted a Council Town Hall on Solidarity highlighting the work of Divisions in addressing children/youth, religion, cognitive and developmental disabilities, mental illness, and nationality;
• hosted a webinar on Pride month: Celebrating Pride Month: LGBTQ+ Expression and Activism in Psychologyopens in new window;
• met with delegation of Black doctoral students and recent graduates about their experience and perspectives on the EPPP;
• met weekly with Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD, APA CEO, David Susman, PhD, CLT Chair, and key staff members;
• continued individual meetings with Board members to facilitate dialogue and liaison feedback;
• met with the Council Leadership Team (CLT) to enhance Board and CLT relations and communication;
• issued invitations to selected members to serve on the new Committee on Applied Psychology (CAGAP). Reissued call for nominations for student members due to low number of student nominations.  The following persons have accepted the invitation to be on the committee:
  • Amy C. Fineburg, PhD (Chair)
  • Sonji Jones-Mason, PhD
  • Nancy Xiaonan Yu, PhD
  • Gena Cox, PhD
  • Stewart Cooper, PhD
  • Jason Cantone, PhD
  • Asil Ozdogru, PhD
  • Jonathan Metzler, PhD
• met with my Advisory Cabinet to optimize effectiveness for the second half of my presidential year;
• met with the Executive Committee of the American Psychological Foundation to enhance both our relationship and fundraising initiatives;
• represented APA in several media outlets including The Mel Robbins Podcastopens in new window (on watching true crime TV shows to relax) and New Orleans Public Radioopens in new window (on the anxiety experienced by young trans people), Harper’s Bazaaropens in new window (on ‘Superwoman Syndrome), The Washington Postopens in new window (on intergenerational trauma);
• wrote my fifth APA Monitor presidential column, this one on enhancing your sense of belonging at APA 2023;
• provided support for my Presidential initiatives, which are:
  • Advisory on Social Media and Youth (completed),
  • Representation Matters Documentary (filming complete/now editing),
  • Free Public Summit on Culturally Informed Trauma Recovery to be held in October in Washington, DC.
  • Culturally Informed Trauma Recovery Kits, which will be available online (written documents completed; issued call for video submissionsopens in new window),
  • Enhancing Belonging and Engagement at APA, which will present findings at this year’s APA Conventionopens in new window (research survey of members complete),
  • Decolonizing and Liberation Psychology, which is editing a Special Issue for the American Psychologist and has provided trainings for the APA Board, Boards and Committees, and Council of Representatives in alignment with APA’s EDI Action Plan (call for submissions received more than 100 submissions; task force will present Saturday morning at APA 2023opens in new window);
• continued preparations for APA 2023 with enhanced activities added, including interfaith sacred space for attendees, embodied healing room for attendees, opportunities to give back to charities in Washington, DC provided, meet and greet with President time provided, and closing session added (Friday, 4pm) to highlight advocacy and to commemorate the March on Washington. I hope you are planning to join meopens in new window in Washington, DC for this important event!

Thank you for your support and efforts in service of society and the field of psychology. To reach me, please feel free to email me. To be more engaged, check out my monthly calls to action, including the call to engage with our APASI advocacy initiatives and to register for APA 2023.  Look out for an upcoming call to donate to a fund to support student registration. We thrive together!