Background & Honors
I obtained my doctorate from the APA accredited scientist-practitioner Counseling Psychology program at the University of Texas at Austin in 1978. I was an English and Political Science middle school teacher and was working on a Master's degree in School Counseling when I was encouraged to apply to the doctoral program in counseling psychology by a mentor. As a first generation college student, I had never considered obtaining a doctorate, but I am grateful that my professor, Dr. Colleen Conoley, perceived me to be a "good fit" for the profession. I am also grateful to have been in the first cohort of the American Psychological Association's Minority Fellowship Program, which supported the last three years of my graduate study, and which served as a powerful socializing process into the profession. My first position after obtaining my doctorate was at the APA accredited University Counseling Center at Colorado State University, where I also held a position as an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology. I became internship training director and taught courses in the counseling psychology doctoral program. After four years at CSU, I returned to the University of Texas at Austin as a senior psychologist at the Counseling & Mental Heath Center. There I served as internship training director, and taught courses in the Counseling Psychology doctoral program. While working as a trainer of interns at university counseling centers, I also volunteered as an internship site visitor for the APA Committee on Accreditation. I have sat on committees to organize and coordinate two education conferences, the Supply and Demand Conference, and the Competencies Conference. I also was a member of the Education Task Force for reorganization of the now Commission on Accreditation. After 13 years of university work, I entered full time independent practice, initially planning to do so temporarily, with plans to return to university administration at some point. However, I very much enjoyed independent practice, and found that I was able to continue active involvement in professional leadership, advocacy, and scholarship. I have been in full time independent practice since 1991. Early in my career, I was encouraged to run for and was elected to the Board of Social and Ethical Responsibility for Psychologists. I learned much in those days, as we led APA in divesting our investments in apartheid South Africa, and raised awareness in the association about what was then a new disease, AIDS. This Board, considered the social conscience of psychology, was later merged with the Board of Ethnic Minority Affairs, to become the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest (BAPPI), and I was the first Chair of that new Board. I had also been a member of the Committee of Women in Psychology, and of various task forces. After helping to found Division 45, the Society of the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues, I was its first Council Representative; I helped to organize and served as Chair of the Ethnic Minority Caucus. I have also been a member of the Council of Representatives for Division 17 (and served as Chair of the Pubic Interest Caucus) and for Division 42 (and served as Chair of the Women’s Caucus). I became interested in professional ethics, and was elected to serve on the APA Ethics Committee. Ken Pope and I were members of that group at the same time, and over the years, we became coauthors on several ethics publications. I have participated on the last two Ethics Committee Task Forces for revision of the Ethics Code (resulting in the 1992 and 2002 Ethics Codes). I also served on both the Board of Professional Affairs (BPA), including as its Chair, and on the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice (CAPP). I was thrilled to see the association so dedicated to developing services to meet the needs of psychologists to provide services to consumers in independent practice, in Veterans Administration hospitals, community mental health centers, prisons, medical and hospital settings, etc. While on CAPP I participated in the provision of financial support, leadership and advocacy training to members of state psychological associations on a yearly basis through the State Leadership Conference. I have functioned in various roles with the Texas Psychological Association, including as President. During that tenure, our practice laws underwent their regular sunset review and I testified numerous times to the state legislature as well as to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. Our efforts were successful, as a result of which I received the APA Heiser Award, given annually to psychologists who have significantly advanced the profession of psychology through their volunteer advocacy efforts resulting in the successful passage of legislation, the successful implementation of regulations, and/or preventing the passage of legislation inimical to the profession of psychology.
I have also been involved in developing psychology’s legislative advocacy through activities sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Psychology (AAP). After working together with colleagues to sponsor an advocacy event for the first time ever during a meeting of the International Counseling Psychology Conference, we were each provided with the Advocacy Award that AAP provides. I have very much enjoyed providing keynote addresses, symposia presentations and workshops in the areas of professional ethics, multicultural counseling, leadership, the ethics of self care, and other related topics over the years. See my vita and/or my listing of presentations for more specific information. Standing for candidacy of President of APA reflects my love for and commitment to all the work described above. I believe in the ability of each person who chooses to be involved and provide input to have influence in shaping the policies and direction of the association and the profession. Together we can continue to identify concrete strategies to meet the needs of psychologists and to promote psychological knowledge to address the challenges of society at a very critical time. HONORS
For more complete information see my curriculum vitae |