Approaching APA 2022, I think back to my first convention as APA’s CEO in 2017. The association was contemplating the focus of our work when APA leadership directed the development of a new strategic vision. As I reflect on the initial implementation of this vision over the past five years, here are some examples of the important insights we’ve gained:
Inclusivity. The notion of APA as the “big tent” for the profession of psychology has become a central theme in our work. We want to support the full breadth of the field and promote diversity based on things like ideological viewpoint, demographic characteristics, or where one’s work sits on the continuum of knowledge production. While being a big tent organization has unique advantages, it comes with inherent tensions that must be constantly managed—like remaining nimble while still reflecting the diverse perspectives of our membership. From our journal content to our convention, we are enhancing APA and psychology by incorporating the full diversity of our field and membership to elevate new ideas and voices.
Partnerships. We now routinely establish alliances with organizations across a broader set of arenas, such as business and industry, the media, and grassroots organizations. We are also more strategic with our partnerships—identifying the spaces in which we want psychology to be and actively pursuing new relationships to get us there. This is helping psychology reach more diverse audiences while also amplifying the voice of APA and psychology on critical issues.
Impact. There is a clear desire by our membership for APA to have a meaningful impact on society. In emphasizing impact, we have learned important lessons that are helping to ensure our science-based contributions do more than generate internal scholarly conversations among ourselves. By routinely bringing the breadth of our field to critical issues, clarifying the unique contributions of psychology, and defining the outcomes we seek, we are having greater impact on the issues valued by our members.
As the nation recovers from the pandemic, APA continues to focus on strengthening our discipline and profession and using our expertise to address important societal challenges. We will continue to evolve and build on our knowledge as we go forward.