Board of Directors Member-at-Large Candidates – Responses to D52 Questions

Note from the Presidential Trio:

There are two slates of candidates running for the two APA Board of Director Member-at-Large seats. Each slate has three candidates. We invited all six candidates to submit responses to the same questions presented to the APA president-elect candidates.
We received four completed responses, two from each slate.  In the interest of full disclosure, the candidates for the first slate include Apryl A. Alexander, Charmain F. Jackman, and Mary Ann McCabe. Drs. Jackman and McCabe responded. The candidates for the second slate include  Luz M. Garcini, Bianca L. Guzman, and Nancy M. Sidun*.  Drs. Garcini, Guzman and Sidun responded.  Note that all names are listed purely in alphabetical order.

* Division 52 Member

The answers of the four responding candidates may be found below.

The presidential trio may not always agree on all items, although we do on many, but we all uniformly urge you to vote!  Please!

VOTE! It is one way to endorse the importance of international perspectives on psychology and APA.

Link to responses from APA President Candidates

Slate I

CHARMAIN F. JACKMAN

Thank you for the opportunity to share my vision and goals with you in consideration for the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Board of Directors Member-at-Large position. Please find my responses to your questions below:

1. What role, if any, is there for psychology outside of the U.S. in the activities and mission of APA?

I hold a vision of psychology that is inclusive for the people we treat and for our association. I also believe that psychology is global. I was born and raised in Barbados, a small island in the Caribbean and very early on, I knew I wanted to be a psychologist– even though the only psychologist I knew was on a TV show. I want to ensure that we continue to inspire young people across the globe to study psychology.

I value the knowledge and relationships that I have built relationships with psychologists in other countries such as Haiti, Kenya, and Barbados. I believe that there is a major role for psychology and the mission of APA outside of the U.S. APA continued involvement with the United Nations. We can also expand the presence of International Psychologists across all divisions within APA.

2. What projects and plans are in your campaign platform to further the globalization of psychology, particularly in relation to the governance, structure, and policies of APA, and its Directorates and Divisions.

Given the global mental health crisis, I believe that APA can lead a movement of global healing by engaging with psychologists across the world. There is so much that we can learn from our global neighbors, in addition to sharing resources and practices. While APA has international programs, there could be increased efforts to make these programs mainstream. I often hear that “Representation Matters.” If elected, I will work with Division 52 to create proposals to advance issues of relevance to international psychologists. In my professional practice, I have engaged with psychologists in other countries, and there is a desire for exchange of ideas. I would also be invested in creating forums for psychologists across the world to build community, to share knowledge, and to collaborate in solving the mental health crisis.

3. What are your thoughts about supporting the establishment of a new elected APA Board position for an APA Member or APA Affiliate living outside of North America and not a U.S. citizen?

Again, I believe that psychology is global and APA can lead the way in decreasing the borders with other countries. I would fully support representation of international psychologists on the leadership and governance of APA. However, it would be important to ensure that there is representation from underdeveloped countries so that we expand knowledge and experiences that are shared.

I would be honored to have your vote.

Thank you for your consideration,

Charmain F. Jackman, PhD

Learn more at www.drcharmainjackman.com/vote

MARY ANN McCABE, PhD, ABPP

1. What role, if any, is there for psychology outside of the U.S. in the activities and mission of APA?

The Mission of APA is not limited to the U.S.:
To promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.

Indeed, psychologists outside the U.S. are already involved in APA activities and governance groups. Further, APA has longstanding partnerships with psychological associations around the world and is a member of the Global Psychology Leadership Team (https://www.apa.org/international/global-insights/psychology-global). APA is a leading global collaborator regarding climate change https://www.apa.org/international/global-insights/climate-summit-resolution and has ongoing work with the United Nations https://www.apa.org/international/united-nations. APA has collaborated for several years on revisions to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). I led the APA Global Summit on Integrated Care in 2015 which invited leaders of psychological associations (and other disciplines) from several continents and resulted in a publication of international authors in the American Psychologist(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31393143/). Other international collaborations are quite likely!

2. What projects and plans are in your campaign platform to further the globalization of psychology, particularly in relation to the governance, structure, and policies of APA, and its Directorates and Divisions.

Psychologists are sharing challenges and potential solutions across the world, including climate change, the pandemic, racial trauma, other forms of discrimination, and refugee crises. Accordingly, APA leadership, the Office of International Affairs, CIRP, and divisions are broadening their work to keep pace. The agenda for Council reflects the increasing globalization and has a new, active caucus. Several divisions have a specific international focus and there are growing collaborations across divisions on topics of global importance (in the model of our Divisions for Social Justice). In a different model, I chaired a collaboration across seven divisions to develop www.infoaboutkids.org which has an audience in 254 countries (and Google translation). I bring to the Board of Directors both passion and expertise in population health, which is a global priority consistent with the work of the WHO. Prevention science and evidence-based and culturally-responsive prevention programs support social justice everywhere.

3. What are your thoughts about supporting the establishment of a new elected APA Board position for an APA Member or APA Affiliate living outside of North America and not a U.S. citizen?

Bylaws require that any member of the Board be a Member of the association but do not speak to residency or citizenship. Recent changes have aimed to ensure that the Board reflects diversity in psychology in every respect, and the work and current composition of the Board – both generally and at a particular time – dictates the slates each year (i.e., what perspective(s) is missing). My concern with a standing seat is potential opportunity cost for expertise that is missing at a particular time, which is unforeseen. Some of the external issues facing APA are global in nature; indeed, this expertise was explicitly in the Call for Nominations this year.  Yet a good bit of the work of the board is focused internally on the association in the context of the policy and economic landscape in the U.S., so some familiarity with this context is needed for all board members.

Thank you for this opportunity to respond.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-mccabe-phd-abpp-69b49127/

https://twitter.com/mccabe_phd

Slate II

LUZ MARIA GARCINI, PhD, MPH

1. What role, if any, is there for psychology outside of the U.S. in the activities and mission of APA?

An international approach to psychology is essential. Historically, APA has been a global leader and partner in the promotion and use of psychology to address complex health, social, economic and political challenges worldwide. The current global pandemic and its detrimental consequences, long-standing and pervasive systemic inequities, and growing divisiveness among people of varied backgrounds, are among the many issues that our world faces. To overcome the aforesaid challenges, it is critical for APA to foster and expand international collaborations and initiatives and to undertake actions that facilitate international dialogue to advance and use psychology for the benefit of people worldwide. Yet, to succeed, we need to be inclusive, respectful, acknowledging, and embracing of cultural and contextual differences as we strive to improve lives and protect human rights in the U.S. and around the world. As a board director, I will work to ensure a global perspective in everything we do.

2. What projects and plans are in your campaign platform to further the globalization of psychology, particularly in relation to the governance, structure, and policies of APA, and its Directorates and Divisions.

Given the important role of international psychology to advance our field, as a board director I will focus on providing perspective on APA policies and initiatives that support efforts and actions aimed at furthering the globalization of psychology. This includes increasing awareness about the key role of international psychology in advancing psychological practice, science and education, and supporting efforts to sustain and advance the work of the APA Office of International Affairs along with the work of committees, boards, taskforces, divisions, and members engaged in international endeavors. Importantly, I will devote attention to nurturing and expanding international collaborations, build new alliances, and support continued participation in global initiatives. Learning and training efforts pertaining to international psychology across varied disciplines within our field will also be central to my work, which will require the allocation of funding and support for international awards, programs and fellowship.

3. What are your thoughts about supporting the establishment of a new elected APA Board position for an APA Member or APA Affiliate living outside of North America and not a U.S. citizen?

APA is a diverse organization that has an active international presence with many of its members and affiliates residing abroad in 146 countries. Within the U.S., APA members and affiliates are also diverse in regards to their immigration backgrounds and citizenship status. A primary focus of my efforts as a Board Director is to ensure inclusivity and representation within our organization. Given the impact of psychology worldwide, it is important that we share and make effective use of resources, influence and power across people of different backgrounds, origins and expertise. We are stronger when we work together and when we are inclusive in our approach. APA needs everyone’s contribution and active collaboration so that we can succeed at addressing the complex challenges that we face, while making sure that the decisions that are made and the actions that we take will have a desirable, equitable, and just impact nationally and worldwide.

BIANCA L. GUZMAN, PhD

1. What role, if any, is there for psychology outside of the U.S. in the activities and mission of APA?

I believe psychology is psychology wherever you might go in the world. I was born in Guatemala and while I was raised in Los Angeles, CA when I travel to my home country I always make it a point to promote psychology. For example, my aunt who is a medical doctor in Guatemala and taught medical school students for 20 years decided to go back to school and get a master’s degree in psychology after conversations with me about how useful it is to understand how the mind works through psychology in order to have improved understandings of why individuals act the way they do. While this is a personal example, I believe that APA as an organization can be influential in learning about how psychology is practiced in other countries and how we might build bridges of psychologists who could provide education, teaching and research tools across the world.

What projects and plans are in your campaign platform to further the globalization of psychology, particularly in relation to the governance, structure, and policies of APA, its Directorates and Divisions.

Psychology is such an important field for understanding the field of mental health. I am a community psychologist with a long-standing membership in division 27- the Society for Community Research and Action and in our division we have international psychologists from across the world as part of our governance including committees and interest groups. We have international conferences where we travel to countries like Spain, Puerto Rico, Peru to meet, network and connect with community psychologists. I am interested in promoting a global psychological world conference where APA could promote all areas of psychology and we could share our research, clinical practice and educational tools. I believe that building community across the world as psychologists would only make APA more influential as an organization. I can see that building these international connections can only strengthen and inform how we govern and the policies we set forth as a global organization.

What are your thoughts about supporting the establishment of a new elected APA Board position for an APA Member or APA Affiliate living outside of North America and not a U.S. citizen?

I believe this is extremely important endeavor. I believe that having the voice of someone who is not North American Centric on the APA Board could allow us to learn so much from each other. We could learn about psychology across the world and how education, teaching, reach and practice are carried out. I know this would possibly lead to APA and North American Psychology learning something new and useful that could be applied in our divisions and governance.

NANCY M. SIDUN, PsyD, ABPP, ATR (Division 52 Member)

1. What role, if any, is there for psychology outside of the U.S. in the activities and mission of APA?

There are multiple roles for APA outside of the U.S.:

  • As our world has become more interconnected, issues once bound by geographic location are now global challenges. This interconnectedness is an unbelievably rich time to embrace the knowledge, skills, models, and strategies of non-Western psychological theories and practices. By adopting a cultural humility approach, we can share the power of the science and practice of psychology across the globe.
  • With the heightened use of virtual platforms, the opportunity to participate in conferences and learning exchanges anywhere in the world is now viable. Not only can APA psychologists attend and present in different parts of the world, but psychologists from outside the U.S. can be active participants and presenters in U.S.- based events.
  • Many global organizations (WHO, UN, UNICEF) are working on issues that could benefit from APA members serving in advisory and consultant roles.

2. What projects and plans are in your campaign platform to further the globalization of psychology, particularly in relation to the governance, structure, and policies of APA and its Directorates and Divisions.

As Chair of the Committee of International Relations, I advocated for an international focus in APA’s proposed strategic plan. Therefore, I am pleased APA’s 2019 Strategic Plan’s guiding principles include embracing a global perspective, advocating for diversity and inclusion, and promoting human rights.

Events of the last years, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the global movement for racial justice, political unrest, and increased hate crimes, create an unparalleled time to promote a global stance within APA. I would bring that international perspective to the Board and champion a global lens in advancing APA’s strategic priorities. I would encourage collaborative partnerships with non-U.S. professional psychological organizations and support directorate global goals such as: sharing and learning from non-U.S.-based research, advancing practice innovations created for diverse cultures and global clinical and workplace challenges, fostering efforts to internationalize the psychology curriculum, and addressing public interest concerns with a worldwide scope.

3.What are your thoughts about supporting the establishment of a new elected APA Board position for an APA Member or APA Affiliate living outside of North America and not a U.S. citizen?

I fully support the inclusion of individuals from outside of the US within APA leadership. Global collaboration is key to our important task of decolonizing psychology.  A non-U.S. psychologist’s perspective enriches any working group’s dialogue and the span and depth of knowledge. From my personal experiences of being a part of the executive committee of the International Council of Psychologists, with members from around the world (e.g., Japan, Netherlands, Brazil, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Spain, Austria, Canada, Australia), the breath of discussions and non-Western perspectives are invaluable to the important work that we do as psychologists. The centrality of diversity, equity, and inclusion in my leadership style is demonstrated in my role in the APA Council as the representative for the highly diverse state of Hawaii, my past presidency of Division 52, International Psychology, and my work as a psychologist in the South Pacific.