A time for transformation

In my final column as APA’s 2020 president, I want to thank each of you for the opportunity to share my vision of learning, leading and changing. We couldn’t have been as successful—especially during this tumultuous time—without the many generous APA staff and members who stepped in to help.

I’d also like to reflect on important changes we’re making as an association and as a field. Thanks to the concerted, ongoing efforts of many APA members—not to mention emerging needs related to the pandemic, systemic racism and the distressed economy—our association and psychology already look much different than they did in 2019.

As I conclude my presidency, it is my sincere hope that we will continue to build on these actions and evolve creatively as a discipline. Let’s become learning leaders known for helping to build a more equitable, healthy and peaceful world. It has been my honor to serve you.

Here are some of the transformative actions we’ve been taking:

At APA, we are:

• Building technological capacities that allow all APA staff, governance and convention activities to operate virtually whenever necessary, and helping to do the same for psychology practitioners, teachers and researchers.
• Reorganizing APA staff to better coordinate the work of the directorates and unify APA’s messaging.
• Creating a sustainable budget and resource plan to support APA’s strategic plan long term.
• Streamlining how APA’s Council of Representatives, boards and committees develop policy.
• Formally combining the collective wisdom of past and incoming APA presidents to create more consistent strategy.
• Increasing the involvement of applied psychology groups to develop APA policy and design systemic responses to pandemic-related challenges.
• Creating and disseminating resources to help psychologists develop their skills as learning leaders.

More broadly, we are:

• Initiating sustainable efforts toward eradicating systemic racism within APA and society.
• Increasing access to care by successfully advocating for broader telehealth regulations.
• Distributing nationally recognized resources on the pandemic to front-line responders, health-care providers and the public.
• Building stronger partnerships with leaders in health care, business and manufacturing, education, and policy to improve crisis leadership.
• Strengthening partnerships with the world’s psychological associations to address pressing global concerns.
• Adopting multicultural and population-based approaches to improve health and health equity.