Announcements

Please see the below statements from candidates for each of the upcoming vacancies on the Division 56 executive committee. A description of each position is included for reference. APA will be sending an email to Division 56 members with instructions for voting. Ballots for voting will be sent on 4/23 electronically to members with email addresses listed for their membership.  Paper ballots will be sent to those who have not provided an email address. 

President

Starting January 1 of the year following election, the individual elected to this office will serve for one year as President Elect, for one year as President, and for one year as Immediate Past President. The President-Elect shall succeed to any unexpired term of a President who is unable to serve her/his full term. The President is the executive officer of the division. It is the President’s responsibility to schedule, preside over and prepare the agenda for Executive Council meetings, which are held at the APA Annual Convention and (usually telephonically) early in the calendar year, traditionally in February. Additional Executive Council meetings as well as Executive Committee meetings can be called as needed by the president with the concurrence of a majority of the members of the Division Council. The President also appoints the chairs of the committees (with the concurrence of the Executive Committee) unless they are specified as part of the by-laws, and has the prerogative to form task forces (which serve for a two-year term) and working groups (which serve for briefer terms of one year or less, as determined by the President.

Candidates: Tyson D. Bailey, PsyD; Lisa Cromer, PhD; Mary B. Gregerson, PhD

Tyson D. Bailey, PsyD

Division 56 has been my home since I became an APA member as a graduate student, and membership remains central to my professional identity. It is for this reason, and many more, I am honored to be chosen by this esteemed group of colleagues as a candidate for president-elect. Although I am less than 10 years into my career, I am proud of the many contributions I have made to my local and national communities. Within Division 56 I have served as the associate editor of the flagship journal, website editor, associated newsletter editor, ECP chair, and on the task force for the assessment of trauma sequelae. I also brought a trauma-informed lens to my role on the APA’s Committee on Early Career Psychologists from 2016-2018. Outside of APA, I am a partner in a trauma-informed group practice that provides therapy and assessment services in the Greater Seattle area. I have published papers and books chapters on dissociation, complex trauma, and practice-related issues. Through these various roles, I have gained a nuanced understanding of the various ways the Division has established itself as a leader within the trauma field. It is my hope to build on the incredible work of the founding members of the Division and all those who have contributed, whether through membership or governance roles. Thank you for your consideration and the research studies, practice applications, and policy decisions you engage in on a daily to help those who have experienced trauma to heal.

Lisa DeMarni Cromer, PhD

I am honored by the nomination to run for President of Division 56. I am a charter member and served as the chair of the Early Career Psychologist (ECP) committee for three years. I have been on the editorial board for the division journal since its inception. My leadership experience in the division has helped me see the importance of connection, community, and empowerment for impacting positive change.

I am an associate professor at The University of Tulsa (TU), co-director and strategic planner for TU’s Institute of Trauma, Adversity, and iNjustice (TITAN), and director of a trauma and resilience laboratory. My lab’s applied research includes clinical trials treating child trauma-related nightmares and interventions to bolster resilience during times of adjustment and stress (e.g., military families during deployment). 

Social justice, creative solutions, and empowerment are core professional values for me. My mission as President would be to facilitate empowerment of Division members to connect and partner to reach common goals. Healthy organizations not only “value added,” but provide vehicles for members to network, collaborate, and reach out. As President, I would commit to engaging students, ECPs, and currently uninvolved members in hopes to catalyze efforts through division infrastructures (e.g., SSIGs) in order to energize and empower their trauma work, whether it is practice, science, advocacy, education, or policy making.

I am excited at the possibility of serving Division 56 as President. I welcome ideas and suggestions for how best to serve the Division. Please feel free to contact me at lisa-cromer@utulsa.edu.

Mary Gregerson, PhD

I am honored to stand for election as President of Division 56 Trauma Psychology, which my advocacy on COR helped establish in 2006. My advocacy had stemmed from a) my 2001 American Red Cross Volunteer experience at the burning Pentagon; b) subsequent appointment as Disaster Mental Health Chief for the new National Capital Chapter; and c) concomitant cultivation of professional expertise in practice, theories, and policies about trauma psychology. Trauma psychology had coalesced as a specialty and needed its own platform.

A veteran Division leader, my step today from Division 56 rank-and-file into Presidential leadership, similar to my 2001 advancement, is to jettison psychology research evidence, practice, and lore into our popular culture’s responses to trauma. My vision embraces research, practice, education, communication, and policy. Our multilevel trauma research and discovery infuses practices like therapy and social/mass media communication. Education teaches neophytes state-of-art information while policy applies that state-of-art information to governing principles.

My platform business model as Division President promotes strong internal ties between our Committees, Task Forces, and Officers. Together we are stronger! Our brand emerges through concerted efforts. So, branding our expertise within APA solidifies the professional image presented to those outside our Division and outside APA.

Division 56 has infrastructure ready for this quest. We need partnerships like the National Endowment for the Arts (see https://www.arts.gov/national-initiatives/creative-forces) and hometown community officials (see https://div46amplifier.com/2017/12/18/special-interest-group-media-first-response-fosters-expert-mass-media-public-relations-connecting-our-schools-and-communities/). Finally, policy is the tipping point coalescing science, education, practice, and application into governing principles for our culture.

Let me open doors for you.

Member at Large

The member at large is elected to the division and serves on both the Executive Committee and on the Division Council. Members at Large are elected for a three-year term. The member at large is a voting member of the division. The member at large can perform any task upon the request of the president. Some sample roles that have been undertaken by the member at large include: a) Being part of a team that judged the winners of the division’s poster contest, including peer review of proposals, ratings, and final selection. b) Contributed to the writing of a statement on a trauma-informed approach to IRB applications, including researching the literature on the need for IRB review to protect human participants, and crafting statements that researchers could use when describing potential risks when conducting trauma focused research. c) Volunteered to write sections of a CODAPAR grant for funds to review PTSD apps for smart phones,d) Be available to read/vote on division statements such as the Trauma Assessment Guidelines. e) Represent the division at events such as APA leadership meetings at the request of the president. f) Chair the awards committee. 

Candidates: Lisa M. Rocchio, PhD; Robyn D. Walser, PhD; Terri L. Weaver, PhD

Lisa M. Rocchio, PhD

I am honored to run for the position of Member at Large for Division 56, where I am a founding member and in the process of completing my second term as Treasurer. In my role as your Member at Large, I would bring my expertise as a clinical and forensic psychologist who specializes in the areas of interpersonal violence, traumatic stress and ethics.  In addition, I am highly experienced with organizational financial management, and would be happy to continue to serve on the Finance Committee, if needed.

I am strongly committed to the field of Trauma Psychology, and have published, presented, and taught on topics related to trauma, ethics, forensic psychology. Since 1997, I have been the clinical director and sole owner of Lisa M. Rocchio, Ph.D. & Associates, Inc., an inter-disciplinary independent practice providing services to adults, children, and families.  I also provide forensic services in the areas of traumatic stress and interpersonal violence.

In addition to my clinical and forensic work, I have published and presented on topics related to traumatic stress, ethics, forensic assessment of trauma and professional practice issues. In addition, I am a member of the Editorial Board of our Division 56 Journal, Trauma Psychology:  Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, and the co-editor for an upcoming special issue of Psychological Injury and the Law that will be focused on complex trauma and dissociation in civil litigation.

I welcome the opportunity to continue my service to Division 56.

Terri L. Weaver, PhD

I have been a member of Division 56 since its inception 11 years ago.  I became more actively engaged in the Division during my two-year tenure (2016-2018) as co-Chair for the Education and Training Committee.  Within this position, we worked to disseminate information on trauma-focused doctoral programs at-a-glance by designing a graphic depiction of  existing training sites.  We also updated the syllabi library for courses focused on exposure to potentially traumatic events and the psychology of posttraumatic reactions.

As a Member-at-Large, I would work to promote and grow the Division. I am passionate about the education and training of our next generation of trauma psychologists and the development of innovative opportunities for psychologists to deliver trauma-informed interventions.

Currently, I am Professor and Director of the Violence and Traumatic Stress Laboratory at Saint Louis University in the Department of Psychology.  I have been involved with training clinical graduate students in the conduct of trauma-focused research and clinical work for the past 20 years.  My areas of focus are adverse childhood experiences, sexual and intimate partner violence and the intersection of physical and psychological sequelae post-victimization.  My work is inherently interdisciplinary, engages interventions within primary care settings and provides culturally responsive training opportunities through mechanisms such as the Graduate Psychology Education program on which I was funded for 7 years.  I maintain a small, specialty practice focused primarily on the treatment of PTSD and serve as an expert witness on cases involving civil and criminal litigation. 

Council Representative

As representatives of Div. 56, the 56 COR representatives are responsible for representing concerns of trauma psychologists and survivors to the rest of APA. The primary duty of the American Psychological Association (APA) Council of Representatives (COR) is fiduciary, which can be further broken down as the duty to care and the duty of loyalty. A Council Representative has the responsibility to stay informed and updated on issues related to advancing the field of psychology, the profession, and fostering an environment for continued education and human welfare. Issues relevant to the above will be presented to the APA Board of Directors and Council and voted on by the Council Representative. Voting and decision-making is based on the best interests of APA and not the individual. When necessary the Division can request that their Representative can introduce a new business item for COR discussion and vote. The Council Representative attends at least two meetings throughout the year. One meeting takes place mid-winter in Washington, DC and another is during the APA Convention. Additional meetings may be called if 15% of the Council members prepare a written request for this special meeting and the majority of voting Council members agree to the meeting. The Council Representative writes a report summarizing the major events and dispositions of the Council meeting, and distributes this report among the Division 56 membership via the newsletter.

Candidates: Constance J. Dalenberg, PhD; Priscilla Dass-Brailsford, Ed.D; Paul Frewen, PhD

Priscilla Dass-Brailsford, Ed.D

Hi Colleagues,

I would like to introduce myself and ask for your support of my nomination for Council of Representative for APA’s Division 56 (Trauma Psychology).  I am affiliated with two academic institutions: Chair of the Department of the Clinical Psychology PsyD Program at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Washington DC, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University. 

As a clinician, I primarily work with trauma survivors and conduct political asylum evaluations.  As a behavioral scientist, I have conducted research on the effects of trauma and other stressful events. I am particularly interested in whether individuals from historically oppressed or stigmatized groups experience unique stressors and coping.  In 2005, I was deployed to New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina. My edited book, Crisis & Disaster Response:  Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina (2009) captured my work in New Orleans while my first book, A Practical Approach to Trauma:  Empowering Interventions (2007) documents clinical work with trauma survivors in marginalized communities.   

I have been involved with APA governance since 2004 and served in many capacities; a member of the Board of Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest (BAPPI), Chair of the Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA), member and vice-chair of the Committee on Women in Psychology (CWP), co-chair of the multicultural sub-committee of the Division of Trauma Psychology and the Community Engagement Committee of the Society of Counseling Psychology. I am proud of my identity as a psychologist and consider my work with trauma survivors an honor.

Treasurer

The term of office of the Treasurer is three years, staggered with that of the Secretary.  The Treasurer may run for two consecutive terms. The Treasurer prepares the budget of the Division, oversees custody of the funds and property of the Division, disburses and receives funds, serves as chair of the Finance Committee, and performs all other usual duties of a Treasurer. The Treasurer is a key member of the Executive Council, making recommendations to the Presidential trio as well as the EC on expenditures and discussing the state of the budget and strengths and weaknesses of revenue streams. The Treasurer creates and maintains the budget spreadsheet, updating it regularly upon receipt of Balance Sheets and Monthly Asset Reports from CBIZ. The Treasurer. The Treasurer manages all Reimbursement/Disbursement Request forms and handles communications with CBIZ and EC members re these requests and communicates regularly with CBIZ re Division business.

Candidates: Barbara L. Niles, PhD; Rick, J. Short, PhD

Barbara L. Niles, PhD

I welcome the opportunity to work with Division 56 leadership to sustain a stimulating and supportive environment for members and those who will join us in this Division. I have been involved in delivery of clinical services, training, and research in the area of post-trauma functioning and PTSD for my entire professional career and look forward to becoming more involved with the leadership and administrative aspects in this Division. I have been a member of Division 56 since its inception and feel it is my home within APA.

During the first two decades of my career, I was a primarily a clinician in the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston clinical program. In my recent research career, I have served in a variety of clinical research roles: principal investigator, co-investigator, therapist or supervisor in randomized trials, reviewing extant research, and conducting program evaluation in our local PTSD clinic.  This strong clinical research background provides me with the tools to evaluate and advance clinical care for individuals with PTSD. Training has been one of the most satisfying aspects of my work and maintaining an environment that encourages continued learning, professional development, and collaboration is an important goal of mine. I look forward to working in partnership with colleagues and Division 56 leadership to support educators, trainees, clinicians, and researchers in trauma psychology.

Rick, J. Short, PhD

I earned the Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.  I presently am Dean and Professor of Psychology in the College of Human Sciences and Humanities at the University of Houston-Clear Lake.  I have worked as a licensed professional psychologist in several states, and was a trainer of professional psychologists for a number of years before entering university administration.  I served for several years as Director of Clinical Training of the APA-accredited school psychology program at the University of Missouri-Columbia.  

Most of my focus over the years has been on children, schools, and communities, and much of my more recent work has dealt with population-based assessment, interventions, and prevention in relation to negative outcomes in late adolescence and early adulthood.  While I was at the University of Missouri, I served for 10 years on the Board of Directors of the MU Center for Psychosocial Trauma, an initiative of the MU medical school that focused primarily on psychological and social issues surrounding trauma of violence and armed conflict.  In my time at UHCL, I’ve been able to focus with my colleagues on dealing with trauma associated with two important issues: illegal immigration and trafficking, and Hurricane Harvey.

I joined the division because I believe it fills a unique niche in APA in integrating psychological practice, research, and policy to address psychological responses to distress.  Current and pressing issues, such as trafficking, violence, disasters, and war certainly require the attention of psychologist practitioners and researchers; however, our effectiveness in influencing policy may be at least as important in ensuring the well-being of our citizens.  The division is well-positioned to play a leadership role in dealing with these rising national concerns.

I am honored to be considered as a candidate for the Treasurer position in Division 56.  I am very sensitive to the importance of making sure that the division has the largest possible membership, that members’ resources are well-managed, and that members see those resources used for initiatives they support.  If I am chosen for the treasurer position, I will keep all three of those goals in the foreground, both in my own activities and for the division.  Regardless of the outcome of the election, I look forward to working with all of you for the prosperity and effectiveness of the division.  Thank you for the opportunity to contribute

Student Representative

Candidates: Ana Abu-Rus, BA; Ayli Carrero Pinedo, BS, MA; Ashley Ortiz, MA

One Student Representative serves on the Executive Council, elected by the student membership of Division 56 to a two-year term, renewable for one term. The Student Representative also serves as chair of the Student Committee. The Student Representative is responsible for engaging other students who have a student membership in Division 56 and to help increase new student membership and provide useful material to students. The Student Representative is an active voting member on the EC of Division 56 as well. The Student Representative attends both the mid-winter EC meeting and the APA convention EC meeting and is moderator for the Division 56 student listserv. The Student Representative also participates in the APAGS DSRN (Division Student Representative Network) to collaborate with other Division Student Representatives. It is highly encouraged that the Student Representative attend the annual APA conference, although it is not mandated. 

Ana Abu-Rus, MA

I’m honored to be nominated for Student Representative of Division 56 Trauma Psychology. In my short career so far I have made Division 56 my professional home.

Trauma and resilience have been a passion of mine since my Air Force days where I taught skills that increase resilience in the face of the high-stress environments. As a member of the Trauma-Informed Care Committee at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital, where we strive to provide the best trauma-informed care for our acute patient population, and as a long time researcher at the Trauma Research Institute, directed by Dr. Constance Dalenberg the former President of Division 56, one of my many goals is to continue to bridge the gap between research and clinical work. Recently, I was awarded the Foundation for Education and Research in Biofeedback and Related Sciences Research Grant for my research investigating the relationship between psychological resilience and physiological resilience in the context trauma.

As student representative, I aim to continue to grow the nationwide network of students with interests in trauma in the hopes of developing strong professional relationships that will continue to grow throughout the years as we progress in our careers. I will use advances in technology and social media to develop opportunities and events nationwide that spark innovative ideas and impassion members to keep at the forefront of trauma-related conversations within the APA. Lastly, all student members will benefit from career advice by current leaders that will help shape the future they want within trauma psychology!

Ayli Carrero Pinedo, BS, MA

I am a third-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of North Dakota. My leadership and service activities at a departmental, institutional, and national levels have been targeted at raising awareness about the traumatic effects of advocacy work, meeting with state representatives to discuss the importance of trauma-informed research and clinical practice, and maximizing educational outcomes for students at every stage of their professional journey. In fact, I was part of the Division 45 Student Committee when it received the APAGS Outstanding Division Award for exemplary level of commitment to providing opportunities for graduate student development.

My vision for the Division 56 Student Representative position is to increase student engagement by creating and supporting initiatives that prioritize students. Specifically, I want to (1) develop division programming students can use to further hone their research, practice, and policy skills, (2) foster a culture of mentoring to enhance contact between students and Division 56 membership, (3) advocate for increased research and travel support, and (4) collaborate with other APA divisions and groups committed to student success.

My strong leadership background, facilitative nature, and dedication to student training and psychological trauma issues make me the ideal candidate. I am thrilled about the opportunity to represent your interests and shape the functioning of the Division 56 Student Representative position. Thank you for considering me.

Ashley Ortiz, MA

My name is Ashley Ortiz, and I am on the ballot for student representative for Division 56 Trauma Psychology. I am a first-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program at Howard University. My research interests include ethnic identity as it relates to the effects of trauma and mental health outcomes for Black and Hispanic girls in the juvenile justice system. Trauma is salient because girls of color in this context experience multiple victimizations. If elected as the student representative for Division 56, I plan to impose webinars or workshops focused exclusively on trauma research relevant for graduate students in psychology. Additionally, creating a Facebook group or similar platform for graduate students in Division 56 to connect and collaborate with one another would be extremely beneficial. To sustain this growing division, relationships must be cultivated as students will become the clinicians and researchers in the future. Equally as important as fostering relationships between students is to build relationships with current psychologists and researchers that focus on trauma. I would love to create a mentorship program based on location and research interests between Division 56 members (students and career psychologists). I would be the best person for this position because I served in multiple leadership positons in college. My responsibilities included outreach, organizing workshops and trainings, as well as serving as a liaison between faculty and other students. I am immensely passionate about contributing to the research literature on trauma, and making a difference in those that are affected.

Early Career Psychologist Representative 

One Early Career Psychologist (ECP) Representative serves on the Executive Council, elected by the ECP membership of Division 56 to a two-year term, renewable for one term. The ECP Representative also serves as chair of the Early Career Psychologist Committee. The ECP rep attends two EC meetings per year at the midwinter conference call and at the APA Convention.  The ECP rep prepares a report prior to these meetings that summarizes the ECP activities prior to the last meeting. 

As the chair of the Early Career Psychologist Committee, the ECP rep manages the ECP listserv and social media efforts, fields questions from ECPs, and organizes and chairs subcommittee meetings. The mission is to facilitate career and professional development of ECPs through education and mentoring support through finding creative means for delivering (a) career advice, (b) research advice and support, (c) professional development opportunities.  

Candidates: Katharine Lacefield, PhD; Delishia M. Pittman, PhD

Katharine Lacefield, PhD

Katharine Lacefield, Ph.D., ABPP, earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida in 2013 after completing a predoctoral internship at Southwest Consortium/New Mexico VA. She then completed a fellowship in traumatic stress at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Psychology, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry in the UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry, and a lecturer in the UCSD Department of Psychology. She is the program coordinator and primary supervisor for psychology training in the San Diego VA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Clinical Team in La Jolla, and facilitates a monthly supervision-of-supervision group meeting for junior supervisors. She is a Cognitive Processing Therapy regional trainer and consultant and is an expert in delivery of evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD. Dr. Lacefield’s research interests include examining correlates of and treatment outcomes for gender and sexual minorities diagnosed with PTSD and comorbid conditions, as well as cultural diversity in training. She knows from her own experience as an Early Career Psychologist (ECP) that balancing clinical, training, and research goals can be daunting and is excited to make APA Division 56 a place where these conversations can happen! Her experiences and enthusiasm make Dr. Lacefield an ideal candidate to support ECPs and expand their representation in the Division. She loves the excitement that ECPs bring to the field of trauma and will work to engage ECPs in promoting the vision and goals of Division 56.

Professional Affiliate Representative

One Professional Affiliate Representative, a non-psychologist professional who has a particular interest or background in the trauma field and is a Professional Affiliate of the division, serves on the Division 56 Executive Council. The Professional Affiliate Representative is elected to a two-year term, renewable for one term. The role of Professional Affiliate Representative of Division 56 is to build bridges between the important work being done in other fields that lead to improved quality of mental health care across disciplines.

Candidates: Antigone Davis, BA, JD; Julia Seng, PhD

Julia Seng, PhD

I am very pleased to be considered for professional affiliate service to the Trauma Psychology Division.  I am a nurse-midwife, with expertise in how complex trauma affects women’s childbearing and health outcomes across the lifespan, including experiences of birth and early parenting.  I am a professor of nursing, obstetrics, and women’s studies at the University of Michigan and would bring broad perspectives to this role.  The “long shadow” cast by trauma warrants addressing via individual treatment, but also via community-based and primary-care approaches that have yet to be invented.  The knowledge base of members of the Trauma Psychology Division is broad and deep, and there is much to be gained by cross-fertilization of that expertise into health professions and population health endeavors.  It is my hope that I could bring ideas to the table for how to enhance the impact of the Division on trauma-informed approaches in healthcare.  The time is very ripe for integrative responses to unmet trauma-related needs across sectors.

My work as a faculty member and associate dean for strategic affairs in a health sciences school gives a strong skill set for generating actionable ideas solidly grounded in trauma scholarship.  My research on traumatic stress and childbearing ranges from qualitative to clinical to biological to intervention in terms of techniques used.  I serve on grant and editorial review panels across disciplines, so my knowledge base is very current.  I would pull from this breadth of emerging evidence to advance the work of the Division.