Scott Sperling, PsyD (2021 Chair/Practice Representative); Rebecca Richey, PsyD (2021 Vice-chair/SPTA Representative); Joshua G. Kellison, PhD (Education Representative); Laura Dryjanska, PhD (Divisions Representative); Dante D. Dixson, PhD (Science Representative); Sade Soares, PhD (Governance and Membership Representative); Jacks Cheng, PhD (Public Interest Representative)
Staff Liaisons: Catherine Grus, PhD; Toni Minniti, PhD; Allison Gillens, MPS
The Committee on Early Career Psychologists (CECP) represents the unique interests and concerns of early career psychologists, promotes their expertise, and fosters leaders with the passion and innovation to advance psychological advocacy, education, practice and science. CECP is guided by the following priorities: a) encourage ECPs to understand their civic responsibility to the field and society, including increasing engagement in leadership within APA and their communities, b) promote the financial wellness of ECPs, and c) promote the career and educational development of ECPs.
CECP engaged in a series of strategic conversations to establish priorities and actions that will foster desired outcomes. CECP’s current priorities are to promote the development of ECP’s leadership skills and knowledge as well as increase ECP representation in governance and leadership positions. Additional priorities include prioritizing equity, diversity, and inclusion in every aspect of their activities, engaging in anti-racism projects, and elevating the visibility of ECPs and their work.
Ongoing CECP projects that are supporting these priorities include the committee developing a network that will connect ECP leaders across the organization, enhancing training opportunities for ECPs, and recognizing ECPs who are actively engaging in anti-racism/anti-prejudice activities. Moreover, the committee is focusing on promoting the processes that will improve equitable and beneficial access to psychological science across communities and plan to work collaboratively with other APA groups to increase their impact on the organization. Furthermore, CECP has been restructuring their strategic priorities to engage with and deliver value to members, build a foundation of science, and be a champion for diversity and inclusion.
Support CECP has been involved in numerous leadership and professional development activities which help prepare the discipline and profession of psychology for the future. In July, CECP hosted a leadership development workshop for ECPs who serve on APA boards and committees as well as SPTAs and Divisions. CECP recently hosted the webinar, “A Conversation with the Committee on Early Career Psychologists”, to help provide further information about their priorities and projects to the public and emphasize ways ECPs can get more involved in APA volunteer leadership. During the webinar, the committee received further feedback from attendees on the current trends they could further support. The webinar obtained over 250 registrants.
Moreover, CECP sponsored six ECP focused programs at APA Convention. Programming themes included how to fund research, engagement in advocacy and social justice, and ECP career development advice.
At the beginning of 2021, the committee worked on reevaluating their awards and grants to better align with their priorities. This summer, CECP launched their new Early Career International Psychology Grant which will help fund the work of international psychologists/psychology. CECP also updated the criteria for the APA Early Career Achievement Award which now awards individuals who are a part of an underrepresented minority and whose professional work involves anti-racism efforts. Three distinguished ECPs were awarded, Tiffany Brannon, PhD; Jason A. Cantone, JD, PhD; and Alfonso Mercado, PhD.
To advocate for psychology and psychologists, CECP in conjunction with the National Register of Health Service Psychologists’ sponsorship was able to support the attendance of 20 ECPs at APA Convention through their Early Career Convention Grant.
To enhance relations with other APA groups, the committee has taken the time to strategically discuss how they can improve their communications with the groups with which they liaise. For example, to improve networks among ECP leaders, the committee has launched a survey to collect information about ECP leaders who serve on SPTAs, Divisions, and APA boards and committee. The goal of the survey is to build a formal sustainable database for ECP leaders to network and efficiently exchange knowledge between one another.
The committee has re-launched their CECP listserv to update their liaisons on CECP activities to enhance potential collaboration opportunities between the groups. To promote CECP’s goal of recognizing the work of ECPs, the committee is coordinating with APA’s Communications office to develop mechanisms of identifying ECPs to promote through APA media platforms