A. Mission Statement
The Committee on Early Career Psychologists (CECP) represents the unique interests and concerns of early career psychologists. The mission of CECP is to enhance the sense of community and a shared identity among early career members through advocacy, engagement, and the provision of resources.
The committee consists of seven members of the association all within ten years of receipt of the doctorate degree (at the start of their term) representing Education, Practice, Public Interest, Science, Division, S tate, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Associations (SPTAs), and Membership and Governance Outreach. Committee members are appointed by the Board of Directors for staggered terms of three years.
B. APA Committee on Early Career Psychologists
- Shawn McClintock, PhD, Chair (Membership and Governance Outreach Representative)
- Katharine Hahn Oh, PhD (APA Divisions Representative)
- Kimberly Smith, PsyD (Education and Training Representative)
- Aaron Harris, PhD, Practice Representative
- Angela Kuemmel, PhD (Public Interest Representative)
- Kyle Gobrogge, PhD (Science Representative)
- Le Ondra Clark Harvey, PhD (SPTA Representative)
The staff liaison for the committee is Dee Valencia.
2014 Board of Director’s Liaison to CECP – Susan McDaniel, PhD
2014 was a very busy and productive year for CECP. With the assistance and support of Dee Valencia, Tabitha Brown, Sonja Wiggins and Rhea Farberman, we were able to accomplish a number of tasks. Below is a summary of the key accomplishments:
C. Activities and Events
- CECP held its meetings in the Spring and Fall of 2014 and various committee members attended the second round of APA Consolidated Meetings in the Fall to meet with boards and other bodies to facilitate early career collaborations.
- The committee welcomed two new representatives as follows: Kimberly Smith, PsyD, Education Representative and Le Ondra Clark Harvey, PhD, State Representative.
- Two New Business Items were approved by the APA Board of Directors and the Council of Representatives as follows:
- An asterisk (*) can be placed by candidate names in the election process to highlight candidates that are early career and/or new to APA governance.
- Early career seats on APA boards and committees (where appropriate) by 2017
- Distributed Call for Nomination and selected two new committee members for 2015--2017 (Science, Divisions, and Governance and Membership Representatives)
- CECP sponsored several sessions at the annual APA convention focused on topics of interest to early career attendees (e.g. navigating tenure, life work balance, building a research career, on the cutting edge of research and practice, financial nuts and bolts of starting a practice, financial planning and loan repayment, academic health settings, etc.)
- Developed a Webinar focused on leadership tips for early career members interested in getting involved in APA governance.
- Conducted a Focus Group of early career psychologists at the convention in Washington, DC. The group discussed the value of APA membership.
- Organize and facilitated the orientation and wrap-up sessions at the State Leadership Conference.
- Plan early career programming for next year’s convention which include two collaborative sessions with APAGS.
- The committee awarded the CECP Appreciation Awards to Rhea Farberman and the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABAPP) for providing outstanding mentoring, support, or work on behalf of early career members. The awards were presented during the Early Career Social Hour at the annual convention.
- CECP representatives and other early career members have been featured in many APA media such as the Monitor, the Division Dialogues, APA Access, and on the early career web site and social media outlets.
- CECP received approval from the Board of Convention Affairs for the continuation of the achievement award program for early career members from all areas of psychology (education, practice, public interest and science) to attend the APA convention. In 2014, 40 award recipients receive $750 each towards their attendance at the 2014 APA convention. The program is designed to encourage attendance and increase representation of early career members at the convention.
- CECP received funding from the Board of Convention Affairs to continue the APA Kids’ Place at the 2014 convention. Plans include a family friendly room with amenities like comfortable chairs and a play area for children with educational games and toys. The room will also feature special entertainment for children.
- CECP continues a close working relationship with the Membership Board to maintain the interests and needs of early career members.
- CECP continues to distribute the list of 25 ideas for SPTAs and divisions to successfully recruit and engage early career members. The list is also available on the early career website.
- CECP created a list of “What I Wish I Had Known About Leadership…”; the list is posted on the early career website.
- CECP continues to promote the financial planning guide for early career psychologists (published in 2008) as a “value-added” product. The booklet is available in hard copy by written request and online. In addition, bulk copies are available to divisions and SPTAs upon request. The financial guides was created specifically to address the needs and interests of early career psychologists but has proven to be useful to all career stages, including graduate students as well as mid to late career psychologists.
- CECP continues to disseminate resource materials through the Early Career listserv, non-APA early career listservs, APA Access, the early career website, Division Dialogue, online newsletters, etc. These various platforms help the committee inform early career professionals about issues related to education, funding, licensure, financial planning, and parenting and provide CECP with valuable feedback.