From the President’s Desk: May 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:

• appeared on CBS Mornings with Gail Kingopens in new window for Mental Health Awareness Month;
• co-presented at the combined New Zealand Psychological Society and Australian Psychological Society Conference in New Zealand;
• presented “Psychology’s Path Forward: Trauma-Informed, Culturally Attuned Practice” for the Veteran’s Affairs Psychology Leadership Conference and provide mentorship and remarks at the “President’s Dinner”;
• presented for APA sponsored side event for the United Nations Permanent Forum on African People;
• met with the Presidential Trio of the Trinidad and Tobago Psychological Association about our shared interests;
• presented for the U.S. Department of Education on Nourishing Our Gardens: Supporting Educators of Color;
• hosted a Council Town Hall on solidarity highlighting the work of APA divisions in addressing aging, disability, gender, race/ethnicity, sexuality, and gender expression;
• hosted a webinar on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Monthopens in new window;
• host a webinar on Jewish American Heritage Monthopens in new window;
• met with the leadership of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards to discuss the board’s recommendations on the EPPP-2 and our overall missions;
• chaired board meetings covering the following agenda items: Board and Committee Election Slates, Board of Convention Affairs requests, Task Force on Race Norming (Past President Frank C. Worrell initiative), and Strategic Alignment;
• met weekly with Arthur Evans, CEO, David Susman, Council Leadership Team chair, and key staff members;
• continued individual meetings with board members to facilitate dialogue and liaison feedback;
• facilitated development meetings for board alignment proposals;
• met with Executive Committee Board members to prepare for board business items;
• met with the Council Leadership Team (CLT) to, among other items, enhance board and CLT relations and communication;
• met with division leaders, the Committee on Division/APA Relations, and APA’s CEO to enhance communication and collaboration;
• presented on women’s health advocacy for the Society for Health Psychology (APA Division 38);
• hosted APA 2022 president on my Homecoming (mental health) podcast;
• met with the APA Ombudsperson, CLT chair and chair-elect, EDI chief, and EDI Advisory Group (which is adopting the new name Race, Ethnicity, Diversity Group);
• met with the Council of Representatives Global Caucus on potential new business item connected to my presidential focus areas of trauma, grief, and oppression;
• reviewed and selected members for the new Committee on Applied Psychology;
• met with my Advisory Cabinet;
• provided greetings to the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (APA Division 52) LEAD Institute;
• gave remarks at an APA Political Advocacy Committee virtual event;
• presented for American Public University System on my focus areas of trauma, grief, and oppression;
• presented for Yale University on Liberation Psychology: Healing Wounds of Racism;
• provided support for my presidential initiatives, which are:
  • Health Advisory on Social Media Use in Adolescence (completed);
    The U.S. Surgeon General said: “I am thankful to the APA for their leadership in issuing science-based recommendations that can provide guidance to families across the country as they navigate the use of these platforms.” The advisory was released to widespread coverage, with more than 3,200 news stories so far, including: NBC Chicagoopens in new window, CNN.comopens in new window, ABC Newsopens in new window, The Hillopens in new window, FOX Newsopens in new window, Mashableopens in new window, The TODAY Showopens in new window, NPRopens in new window, Bloombergopens in new window, and TIMEopens in new window
  • Representation Matters Documentary (filming complete/now editing);
  • Free Public Summit on Culturally Informed Trauma Recovery to be held in October at Howard University;
  • Culturally Informed Trauma Recovery Kits which will be available on-line (in development);
  • Enhancing Belonging and Engagement at APA which will present findings at this year’s APA convention (research survey of members complete); and
  • 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 over 100 submissions).
• continued preparation for APA 2023 with positive response to early registration.
• wrote my fourth APA Monitor presidential column, this one on healing collective trauma; and
• presented Presidential Citation to Courtney E. Ahrens, PhD for her leadership and scholarship in the areas of sexual assault and intimate partner violence.

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 advocacy initiatives. Look out for an upcoming call to donate to a fund to support student registration. We thrive together.