Psychology Team staff bios

Chan leads initiatives on the Psychology Team that apply psychological science to pressing challenges across work, technology, and environmental sustainability. His work focuses on translating research into practical solutions, building interdisciplinary partnerships, and advancing initiatives that address complex societal issues. Chan’s background spans research, higher education, and program development. He brings more than a decade of experience in teaching, mentoring, and conducting research with diverse populations. He specializes in making psychological science accessible and actionable through practical tools and learning experiences. At APA, he has led efforts to develop educational resources, collaborate with subject matter experts, and design content that connects psychological research to professional and public audiences. His work also involves building partnerships and coordinating initiatives that bring psychological expertise into discussions on workplace well-being, climate and sustainability, human-technology interaction, and the future of work. Chan earned his PhD and master’s degree in psychology from the University of Kansas, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southwestern College in Kansas. His areas of focus include workplace psychology, environmental sustainability, human-technology interaction, and improving the communication and application of psychological science.

Fluharty works with the Psychology Team in continuing education sponsor approval. She serves as the staff liaison, alongside Jennifer Taylor, PhD, for APA’s Continuing Education Committee and the Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology. Fluharty works with colleagues to help ensure that continuing education sponsors meet APA’s standards and supports the review process for formally recognized specialties and subspecialties in professional psychology. Fluharty earned a BS in education, and before joining APA she was an elementary school educator. Her background in education strengthened her skills in communication, collaboration, organization, and supporting learners from diverse backgrounds, which continue to support her work in continuing education. Her work focuses on continuing education standards, governance support, and collaborating with continuing education sponsors to help advance lifelong learning across the field of psychology.

Fortunato supports initiatives within the Office of Health Care Innovation that advance the application of psychological science through practice innovation. As director of digital health and innovation, she focuses on integrating technology into psychological practice to improve access, quality, and outcomes in mental health care. Fortunato brings experience as a clinician, administrator, and consultant across a range of settings, including university-based mental health services, private practice, and digital health environments. Her work has centered on enhancing care delivery and expanding access to high-quality, evidence-informed services and resources. Fortunato is a licensed clinical psychologist and earned her PhD in clinical psychology from Eastern Michigan University. Her professional interests include digital mental health innovation—such as telehealth, digital therapeutics, and AI—as well as measurement-based care and the development of scalable delivery models that advance prevention, early intervention, and access to effective psychological services.

Garibaldi (she/her) leads initiatives on the Psychology Team that apply psychological science to key real-world issues, including human-technology interaction, workplace well-being, and environmental issues. Prior to joining APA, Garibaldi worked as a researcher in the military sector, leveraging psychological science to improve training and education programs. Garibaldi conducted research on emerging technologies for training and learning, including virtual reality-based and AI-assisted platforms. Garibaldi earned a PhD in human factors and cognitive psychology from the University of Central Florida and a BS in psychology from the University of Florida. Garibaldi’s work focuses on the application of psychological science to the systems that people live in, work in, and interact with. Her work has included applying psychological science to environmental conservation, climate and sustainability issues, workplace flourishing, and interactions with emerging technologies, frequently partnering with external organizations to communicate the value of psychological science to new audiences.

Gottlieb (he/him) serves as associate director of child and adolescent applied psychology on the Psychology Team. His work focuses on strategic outreach, communications, and initiatives that connect psychological science with educational practice to support child and adolescent learning and well-being. Prior to joining APA, Gottlieb worked in K–12 education and the corporate learning and development sector. He served in teaching and school leadership roles and later led education, training, and engagement initiatives that supported professional learning, stakeholder communication, community partnerships, and organizational growth. Across these settings, his work has centered on building partnerships, developing educational resources, and translating research and evidence-based practices into accessible tools and programs. Gottlieb earned an MS in educational leadership from Brooklyn College and a BS in applied mathematics and statistics from Stony Brook University. He also completed professional studies in learning experience design through Oregon State University and redesigning high schools for improved instruction through the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His areas of focus include educational systems, child and adolescent learning, mental health and well-being, strategic communications, partnership development, and the application of psychological science to support learning and development.

Halfond is senior director, evidence-based practice and health equity on the Psychology Team. She leads APA’s efforts regarding evidence-based practice in psychology. This includes promoting access to high-quality, scientific, and equitable psychological care and the development of resources, such as clinical practice guidelines, clinical evidence briefs, APA Presidential Task Force reports, and more.  She serves as the liaison to external stakeholders, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Guidelines International Network, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Common Health Coalition, and others. Halfond is a clinical child psychologist and is licensed in Virginia. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University, her masters in experimental psychology from Wake Forest University, and her bachelor’s in psychology and Hispanic studies from the College of William and Mary. She completed her clinical internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and her postdoctoral fellowship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Halfond is bilingual in Spanish/English. She has particular expertise in youth mental health, families and parenting, evidence-based practice, guidelines, health equity, clinical, and research work with Latino/a/e populations, immigration, and trauma.

Hoover (she/her) leads initiatives on the Psychology Team that elevate psychological science tools and techniques, engage researchers in emerging topics across the field, and connect students to psychological science career resources. Prior to joining APA, she spent more than 20 years in higher education, where she led undergraduate transition programs, built strategic academic partnerships, cultivated alumni networks, developed and facilitated undergraduate paraprofessional training, and supported students in crisis. She also designed and taught honors seminars focused on academic and professional skill development. Hoover holds an MA in college student personnel from the University of Maryland, College Park and a BA in psychology and kinesiology from Purdue University. Hoover’s work focuses on developing and coordinating professional development resources that help people build skills, deepen knowledge, and expand their impact.

Horn leads initiatives on the Psychology Team that connect psychological science to real world impact. She works across science and public interest areas to turn research into practical programs, tools, and partnerships that can reach broader communities. Her work includes supporting initiatives related to equity in research and practice, including contributions to journal article reporting standards (jars) and psychological practice guidelines. Horn’s path to this work started in direct care, supporting children and adolescents navigating mental health challenges. From there, she moved into research, conducting neuropsychological assessments and supporting federally funded studies on adolescent mental health and mood disorders, including a school-based depression and suicide prevention program for teens with ADHD in urban schools. At APA, she has taken on roles of increasing scope, each building on the last. She started by coordinating a federally funded training program for graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds entering behavioral health, then helped shape field-wide standards for reporting on race, ethnicity, and culture in research through her contributions to jars-REC. From there, she led a national portfolio of grant programs supporting participation in psychological science, work that laid the foundation for her current role connecting science to social impact. Her research has focused on adolescent mental health and culturally responsive care, including a qualitative study on how ADHD is experienced by teens in urban schools and the factors that affect their access to care. She has also examined how research partnerships can better support underresourced schools during times of crisis. Horn holds an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus, a master of professional studies in clinical psychological science from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a BS in psychology from Morgan State University. Looking ahead, Horn is focused on a future where psychological science isn’t just published, but built with the communities it’s meant to serve, science that’s more useful, more trusted, and more likely to make a real difference in people’s lives.

Jones supports initiatives within APA’s Office of Health Care Innovation that advance the integration of technology and evidence-based practices into psychological services. In this role, he contributes to clinical innovation efforts, emerging research development, and outcomes measurement strategies, while collaborating across research, policy, and practice teams to strengthen the quality and safety of digital mental health solutions. Jones’s professional background spans clinical mental health research, psychological assessment, digital mental health strategy, and project management. He has managed crossfunctional advisory committees and professional workgroups, contributed to the development of professional practice guidelines for health service psychologists, and supported the creation of ethical frameworks for AI-enabled mental health tools. He has also contributed to peer reviewed publications in neuroscience and psychiatry and supported large-scale initiatives focused on population health and technology-enabled care. Jones earned an MA in counseling psychology from Western Michigan University and BS in psychology from Towson University. Jones’s work focuses on digital mental health evaluation, ethical and evidence-based implementation of AI in clinical care, and the development of guidance that supports psychologists in navigating emerging technologies. He is particularly interested in technology enabled approaches that enhance therapeutic outcomes and promote high quality, measurement based psychological practice.

Kennedy is thrilled to join APA as the associate director of child and adolescent applied psychology. Kennedy received her BS in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2012. She went on to complete her doctorate in psychology (developmental psychology) at the University of California, Davis in 2018, where her graduate work primarily focused on developmental social cognition (e.g., theory of mind, social categorization). During and following graduate school, Kennedy worked in various research roles with the Bay Area Discovery Museum. Throughout this time, she gained industry experience working with companies such as Fisher Price, Green Toys, and Mattel. Kennedy has since acquired additional invaluable experience in both early childhood education and higher education sectors. Kennedy is excited to use her diverse past professional experiences to help bridge the fields of psychological science and education in her work at APA.

McDonald is the director of child and adolescent learning and well-being. She holds an MS in education from The College of Saint Rose, a BA in economics from Union College, certifications in organizational happiness and positive leadership, and is a candidate for a diploma in global leadership from the UN-Mandated University for Peace. She is also certified as a PK–12 school counselor. As an educator and strategist with nearly three decades of experience advancing well-being, equity, and opportunity for young people in diverse communities nationwide, her work centers on applying psychological science to strengthen systems that support children in and out of school and elevates community voice in the development of sustainable solutions. She initially joined APA as the director of the Safe and Supportive Schools Project and has also served the social impact team. In these roles she oversaw the creation of resources for school personnel that translate psychological science into action, lead professional learning communities, human-centered design processes, community-based needs assessments, and cross-sector initiatives focused on public health, equity, and social innovation, integrating population health approaches, equity, diversity, and inclusion principles, and human rights frameworks centered design processes. Across her career, including leadership roles in nonprofit program development, school counseling, and community partnership-building, McDonald has consistently worked to expand opportunities for low-income, rural, urban, and historically underserved students. She brings extensive experience in strategic partnerships, workforce and leadership development, project management, grant and budget stewardship, and public engagement. A frequent presenter and facilitator, McDonald has contributed to national and international conferences on well-being, leadership, and inclusive educational environments. She also serves in multiple volunteer roles supporting community organizations, youth development, and wellness. Outside work she can often be found with a camera in her hands. Her love of photography has instilled the importance of viewing a situation from many different perspectives, a skill she aims to infuse in both her professional and personal life.

Nunes leads efforts to organize, synthesize, and communicate scientific knowledge to inform research, policy, and practice. She also collaborates with teams across APA to ensure that current, high-quality psychological science is reflected in the association’s work. Before joining APA, Nunes worked as a science writer and science advisor for a nonprofit psychology association. In those roles, she hosted a science podcast and led work on science dissemination, focusing on methodology and science innovation. She has also taught a variety of courses at the university level, including human memory and learning, social psychology, and introduction to cognitive psychology. She collaborates with a Portuguese nonprofit education initiative that translates scientific research into accessible guidance and resources for teachers, students, and the public, and occasionally writes about science for the popular press in Portugal. Nunes earned a PhD in psychology from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, and has conducted research at Purdue University, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Lisbon. With a background in cognitive psychology and social cognition, Nunes specializes in human memory, metacognition, and motivation; has conducted research in laboratory and applied settings; and focuses on science credibility, science communication, and evidence translation. Currently, she he draws on this broad set of experiences to support APA’s mission to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.

Potter assists in initiatives within the Psychology Team that oversee the standards and implementation of evidence-based continuing education (CE) for the psychology profession. In this role, she supports CE sponsors and psychologists across all subfields to ensure educational programming meets high-quality standards. Prior to joining APA, Potter worked as a victim advocate in a juvenile court and as a research analyst on Department of Justice contracts, working with offices like the Bureau of Justice Assistance and Office for Victims of Crime. She also worked for the International Association of Chiefs of Police in program management. Potter is an experienced research analysis with expertise in Power BI, SPSS, and survey administration. She earned her MA in forensic and legal psychology from Marymount University and a BS in psychology with a minor in sociology and nonprofit management administration from Brigham Young University. Her work centers on supporting data quality through research and quality assurance to enhance the experience of continuing education. 

Schwartz is the senior director of teaching and learning on the Psychology Team, where she leads strategy and initiatives to advance evidence-based teaching and learning across educational settings, including a focus on applying psychological science to AI use in the classroom. After earning her PhD in cognitive psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo and her BA in psychology from Colby College, she began her career in higher education as a psychology professor where her research focused on the accuracy of children’s eyewitness testimony and then transitioned to the scholarship of teaching and learning. She taught courses across the curriculum including introduction to psychology, research methods, sensation and perception, cognitive psychology, psychology and the law, and the senior capstone course. She later held academic leadership roles including assistant dean, provost, and chief academic officer—experience that informs her leadership of APA initiatives focused on faculty development, student success, and the application of psychological science to educational practice. A long-standing member of APA, Schwartz is a Fellow of Division 2 (Society for the Teaching of Psychology) and previously served on its executive board. Her work has been recognized for excellence in teaching, scholarship, as well as student and faculty mentoring. She has published in numerous journals including the Journal of Higher Education, Theory into Practice, and Ethics and Behavior and has authored and edited works on the scholarship of teaching and learning, including Evidence-Based Tools and Techniques for University Teaching and Optimizing Teaching and Learning: Practicing Pedagogical Research. She has also written a series of books that support students in developing skills in writing, research design, statistics, and presentations.

Shanbhag is APA’s inaugural senior director for the Office of Independent Practice. In this role, she leads APA’s efforts to promote independent practice and support private practitioners as part of APA’s goals to advance the profession and improve lives. Her office works to help independent practitioners meet the realities of today while preparing for the demands of tomorrow. Shanbhag is a Florida licensed psychologist and PSYPACT credential holder with 17 years’ experience in independent private practice. Her expertise spans both mental health practice and applied practice, with a special interest in leadership and adult psychotherapy. Prior to private practice, Shanbhag served as the executive director of a nonprofit agency, coordinating maternal and child health systems. Shanbhag graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and earned her doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Florida. Her clinical psychology internship was at the South Texas Veteran’s Health Care System in San Antonio, Texas, and she completed postdoctoral work at the University of Florida. Shanbhag is a member of APA, APA Division 42 (Psychologists in Independent Practice) and Division 13 (Society of Consulting Psychology), as well as the Florida Psychological Association.

Stamm is the senior director for workforce studies where she leads research on psychology employment, careers, and education pathways. Her professional background includes quantitative psychology, statistics, survey design, research methods, and workforce analysis. Prior to joining APA, she was an instructor of statistics and research methods and a postdoctoral researcher in health behaviors in older adults. Stamm earned a PhD and MA in psychology from the University of Rhode Island and a BA in psychology and English from Boston College. Her work focuses on providing data about workforce trends that can inform career exploration and planning in the field of psychology.

Tatum is the director of teaching and learning on the Psychology Team. In her role she uses psychological science and the scholarship of teaching and learning to create educational resources to support the teaching of psychology as well as inform pedagogical strategies for educators from preschool through graduate school. Before joining APA, she was a psychology professor and spent more than 25 years teaching and mentoring undergraduate students in research, where she was recognized for her scholarship and exemplary work. Tatum taught courses in introduction to psychology, research methods, experimental psychology, testing and measurements, personality, emotion, health psychology, and gender. She also held leadership positions as department chair, division head, and director of the Center for Student Research. As a strong proponent of undergraduate research, Tatum has written about high impact practices such as capstone courses and summer research programs in psychology. She coauthored Ethics in Psychological Research: A Practical Guide for the Student Scientist. Tatum conducts basic and applied research on cheating and academic integrity. Her work has been published in Ethics and Behavior, International Journal of Educational Integrity, Journal of College and Character, Theory into Practice, and The Journal of Higher Education. She conducted a grant-funded study on risk-taking and cheating among high school students using a virtual reality paradigm and was recently awarded a faculty research grant from Psi Chi to support an experiment testing the effect of moral story exposure on cheating behavior in young children using a peeking paradigm. In addition to her work with the International Center for Academic Integrity, she has contributed commentary for higher education articles including Inside Higher Ed and The Chronicle of Higher Education. Tatum earned her MA and PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Tennessee, and her BA in psychology from Mary Baldwin College.

Taylor leads initiatives within the Psychology Team that oversee the standards and implementation of evidence-based CE for the psychology profession. In this role, she supports CE sponsors and psychologists across all subfields to ensure educational programming meets high-quality standards. Prior to joining APA, Taylor was a tenured professor of counseling psychology. Her academic career included serving as a training director for a clinical mental health counseling graduate program and teaching at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. Taylor’s research focuses on evidence-based learning and the enhancement of professional competencies. She has published more than 55 peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and book chapters, and has delivered 70 refereed or invited presentations. Additionally, she served as a guest editor for special issues of Practice Innovations and Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. She earned her PhD and MS in counseling psychology and a BS in psychology with a minor in business administration from the University of Florida. Her work at APA centers on supporting professional competency throughout the career lifespan to enhance the quality of psychological services and patient care.

Upchurch serves as a strategic lead responsible for the operational integrity, technological evolution, and governance support of the Office of CE Sponsor Approval. In this role, she oversees the office’s technical infrastructure and its regulatory functions, ensuring that systems, financial reporting, and communication with volunteer leadership bodies are executed with professional excellence. She earned her BA in psychology with a minor in conflict analysis and dispute resolution from Salisbury University. 

Wright is the senior director for health care innovation on the Psychology Team, where she leads national efforts to advance the responsible use of technology and data in mental health care. Wright develops strategies to expand access to care, strengthen quality measurement, and modernize mental health service delivery. She is a trusted voice in federal health policy, with research published in leading peer reviewed journals, and is a frequent contributor to national media. Wright earned her PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and is licensed to practice psychology in the District of Columbia.