2024 Elections are Open until May 14, 2024

The Society of Clinical Psychology, Division 12 of the American Psychological Association

We would like to introduce our 2024 Slate for the 2024 Society of Clinical Psychology, Division 12 Election.  Voting Members, those who are fellows and/or Full Members of the Society of Clinical Psychology and APA are eligible to vote beginning April 15. The election will run through May 14, 2024. You will be able to vote via the APA Website.  You received an email from APA regarding the election and how to vote.

Please see all Candidate Statements and bios below.  These will also be viewable on the Society’s website and with APA.

President-Elect Candidate(s)                                                                          

Lynn H. Collins, Ph.D.

Bio:

Dr. Collins is Professor of Psychology and former Department Chair, Psy.D. Clinical Director, and Undergraduate Program Director at La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Collins is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked with a wide variety of clients in inpatient, outpatient, and residential settings. Dr. Collins received a B.S. in Psychology from Duke University and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University where she completed their APA accredited program in Clinical Psychology. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) through Divisions 12 (Clinical Psychology), 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women), and 52 (International Psychology). Dr. Collins has served on the editorial boards of Psychological Assessment, Psychology of Women Quarterly; Sex Roles; Professional Psychology: Research and Practice; Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books; Journal of Genetic Psychology; and Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs. She has also served leadership roles in professional societies. She has served as President of the Baltimore Psychological Association, Philadelphia Society of Clinical Psychologists, International Psychology (APA Division 52) and Society for the Psychology of Women (APA Division 35). She has served on APA’s Committee on International Relations in Psychology and as Council Representative for APA Division 12, Clinical Psychology.

Dr. Collins was recognized by the Society for the Psychology of Women (APA Division 35) for her commitment to global feminist issues. In addition, Dr. Collins received the Christine Ladd-Franklin Award from the Association for Women in Psychology (AWP) for significant and extensive contributions to the Association and to feminist psychology. She was also awarded National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) Women’s Issues Committee Individual Award in recognition of significant individual contributions to the enhancement of women’s issues in professional psychology training.

Dr. Collins’ research interests include gender influences on psychopathology, transnational psychology, psychology of women, and women in academe. She is also interested in professional training issues and the use of technology in clinical practice.

Candidate Statement:

I would be honored to serve as President-elect! I have belonged to Division 12 since graduating from the Clinical Psychology Program at Ohio State University. I’m an APA Fellow and Professor at La Salle University. I’m a Division 12’s Council Representative and was President of APA Divisions 35 (Women) and 52 (International).

I strongly support integration of clinical psychological science and practice in education and research. As globalization accelerates and we work with people outside our communities, it is essential to develop a more multicultural and transnational perspective. Most research has been conducted by and with people in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic countries who represent about 5% of the world’s population (Arnett, 2008; Thalmayer, et al., 2021), and differ from the rest in psychological processes, cultural frameworks, governance structures, migration experiences, access to resources, and experiences with trauma and unrest (Henrich, et al., 2010). We need transnational partnerships to decolonize our psychological understanding of communities across the globe and help advance applications of clinical science, advocacy, and public policy.

It is important to understand Artificial Intelligence (AI) and harness its power to increase the dissemination of evidence-based psychological information to the public as well as enhance psychologists’ ability to contribute to their specialties and the greater good.

Given my longstanding involvement with Divisions 12, 35, and 52, I am prepared to support and lead our membership as they create new approaches to Clinical Psychology in an increasingly global and technological context. I would greatly appreciate your support!

Damion J. Grasso, Ph.D.

 

 Bio and Candidate Statement:

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. My clinical and research expertise and scholarly contributions to date (83 peer-reviewed articles) focus on prevention and recovery in the context of family adversity, child maltreatment, and trauma. I co-lead the UConn Health Family Adversity and Resilience Research Program and am dual principal investigator of three NIH R01/U01 studies focused on early violence exposure (U01MH113390), the impact of pandemic-related adversity on parenting (R01HD106617), and a clinical trial of a father-focused intervention for family violence (R01HD110583). Clinically, I provide treatment and supervision for pediatric trauma-related disorders in our outpatient clinic. In addition to my clinical and academic endeavors, my passion for working with adversity exposed youth extends to a non-profit outdoor-based mentoring program I founded in 2014 and currently operate on a volunteer basis to promote recovery and resilience. 

I have been intimately involved with SCP since graduate school, when I served as the University of Delaware campus representative (2007-2010). Since then, I have served numerous SCP leadership roles including 10+ years as website editor (2012-2022). In this capacity, I spearheaded the SCP Blog series and other initiatives for disseminating scientific information to our membership. In addition to web editor, I served on several committees and task forces, including the task force to develop the SCP continuing education webinar series. I also served as an SCP mentor. As a member of the SCP Committee on Science and Practice (2018-present), I contributed to the Division’s focus on evaluating and spotlighting empirically supported psychological treatments as we transitioned from the seminal Chambless Criteria to the 2015 Tolin Criteria, which utilizes meta-analytic data to determine the strength of psychological treatments. In 2023, I was elected to the Board of Directors as Secretary and was nominated and selected to become an APA Division 12 Fellow. In this same year, the Board assembled a task force, which I served on, to establish an operational definition of psychological treatment to guide our EST evaluation efforts, with a manuscript forthcoming in Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice (https://lnkd.in/eVRbJk_z). In 2024, I became the co-chair of the Committee on Science and Practice and will play a key role in advancing this work. 

As a presidential candidate, I am eager to lead SCP according to our recently adopted Strategic Plan, which emphasizes diversity and inclusion, innovations in practice, and empirically supported assessment and treatment. Given my 17-year history with the Division, from graduate school to early career to mid-career, I am very well-acquainted with our operational structure, membership, and aspirations for the future. As such, I am well-positioned to take on this role. I am particularly excited to lead our second biennial SCP conference in 2026, which will build on the success of our inaugural conference this year. Given my joint interest in serving adversity-exposed youth and progressing our work with empirically supported treatment, I envision my presidential initiative focusing on solutions for alleviating the ‘mental health crisis’ among this population, which will demand a paradigmatic shift in how efficacious psychological treatment is made available and delivered. Thus, my hope is to engage SCP in the growing call to task-shift psychological treatment strategies to non-clinicians towards reducing barriers to access to treatment, especially among our most vulnerable youth. 

Since graduate school, I have been highly devoted to SCP and wholly commit to bringing the same passion and energy as President should I be elected. Thank you for considering me for this important role. 

Council Representative Candidate(s):                                                           

Anastasia Bullock, Psy.D.

 Bio:

Dr. Bullock is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in consultation-liaison psychology and has worked at Cooper University Healthcare System since 2017. She completed her psychology internship in Medical Psychology at Jackson Health System/University of Miami and her postdoctoral residency at VA Connecticut/Yale School of Medicine. She is the Psychology Internship Training Director and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Cooper Medical School at Rowan University. Her research focuses on improving services in these settings, as well as trauma and weight and eating with articles in peer reviewed publications. She is a member of APA Divisions 12 (and Section 8 – APAHC), 38, 44, and 45 and the New Jersey Psychological Association (NJPA). She serves on the Board of NJPA as Treasurer and is serving as interim Chair of the Committee on Legislative Affairs.

Candidate Statement:

I am writing to express my enthusiasm as a candidate for the Division Representative to APA Council of Division 12 - Society of Clinical Psychology. As I enter the end of my early career phase as a clinical psychologist, I have become energized by ways in which I can contribute to advancing the science and profession of psychology. My skillset as a consultation-liaison psychologist working in an academic medical center lends itself to simultaneously considering individual-, community- and system-level factors in the promotion of health, education and human welfare. I am reflective, ethical, and open-minded, and respect and value the roles and contributions of others. My consideration of this opportunity to serve on Council came out of attending my first Practice and SPTA Leadership Conference (PSLC) this past February. I left feeling more informed about the state of our profession and excited for innovation, but more importantly, I also came away with a greater sense of connection with those representing psychologists across the U.S., territories, and Canada. Division 12’s emphasis on clinical psychological science and practice and its translation to advocacy and public policy embodies a professional home within APA that has a strong voice for the interests of clinical and health service psychologists. It is with sincere interest that I hope to apply my personal and professional skillset to representing and extending Division 12’s interests within APA. Thank you for your consideration.

 

Brandon Gaudiano, Ph.D.

Bio:

Brandon Gaudiano, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health at Brown University. Additionally, he is a Research Psychologist at the Providence VA Medical Center and Primary Faculty at Brown’s Mindfulness Center.  Dr. Gaudiano has written over 200 articles and other works, and his latest book on suicide prevention was published by Oxford University Press in 2022.  His research has been supported by numerous federal and foundation grants, typically in the areas of treatment development and testing for individuals with severe mental illness. He also is the Director of the Butler Hospital Transitional Outpatient Program, which is a first-of-its-kind clinical program that provides interdisciplinary aftercare services for patients transitioning from higher to lower level of care (e.g., from inpatient to outpatient care) to promote recovery and reduce relapse. His research and experience of direct provision of care include working with people who deal with poverty, discrimination, and homelessness. He currently serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals, including Clinical Psychology Review and the Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science.

Candidate Statement:

Thank you for considering me for Division 12 Council Representative. I have been honored to serve as Chair of D12’s Publications and Communications Committee for nearly 10 years.  In this role, I have worked closely with leadership to ensure the growth and success of our publications, The Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice.  I would bring this experience in communicating and disseminating information to my role as D12 Council Rep. Furthermore, I have demonstrated a strong commitment throughout my career to the integration of practice and science. For example, I currently serve as Vice Chair of the APA’s Advisory Steering Committee for Clinical Practice Guidelines, which aligns with the interests of D12’s Science and Practice Committee and the trailblazing work done by our colleagues in empirically supported treatments.  I also would seek to facilitate broader connections among APA Divisions to advance the interests of D12. As a lifelong learner, I previously served on the D12 Task Force on Issues in Professional Psychology in which we developed recommendations to improve the quality of Continuing Education training in psychology.  If selected as Council Rep, I also pledge to represent the diverse interests of all our members, especially those from historically underrepresented backgrounds. As an active practitioner, researcher, educator, and advocate, I know just how much clinical psychology has to offer and would commit myself to championing the values and goals of D12 if given the opportunity to represent our Society on the Council.

 

 

Member-A-Large                                                                                                

Viviana Padilla-Martinez, Ph.D.

Bio:

Dr. Padilla (she/her/hers) is a Bilingual Psychologist born and raised in Puerto Rico. She completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Carlos Albizu University at San Juan, Puerto Rico and her pre-doctoral internship at the Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology, affiliated to Boston University. She also completed two postdoctoral fellowships, one in Tobacco Cessation at Bedford VA and one in Recovery and Rehabilitation at Miami VA. Dr. Padilla joined Bay Pines VA Healthcare System as a BHIP Psychologist in 2018 and served as Program Manager from 2019-2023. Dr. Padilla now serves as Mental Health Outpatient Psychotherapy Services Section Chief at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. In addition, she serves as VISN 8 BHIP Workgroup Team Lead and as subject matter expert and master trainer for Problem Solving Therapy for Suicide Prevention in VA with emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). She currently serves as Member-at-Large and Diversity Committee Chair of the Society of Clinical Psychology (APA Division 12) Board. She has previously served as Florida Psychological Association (FPA) – Calusa Chapter President and member of the FPA Reorganization Task Force. In addition, she is Adjunct Faculty  at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University where she teaches Group Psychotherapy and Multicultural Counseling. In 2023, Dr. Padilla received the Florida Psychological Association Early Career Contributions Award.  In her spare time, she loves traveling, reading, trying new restaurants and spending time with her loved ones.

Candidate Statement:

As a passionate advocate for mental health and diversity, equity and inclusion, I am honored to present my candidacy for Member-at-Large of the Society of Clinical Psychology. I have been the Member-at-Large since February 2023 and I would like to continue serving in this role and support SCP's Strategic Plan. I bring a diverse set of skills and experiences as former SCP Section Representative and other APA leadership experiences. Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a dedication to promoting mental health awareness and providing support to individuals in need. Whether through my work in clinical settings, research endeavors, or community outreach programs, I have consistently strived to make a positive impact in the field of psychology. If reelected, I am committed to upholding the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. I believe in the importance of fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and respected. Furthermore, I am deeply invested in addressing the unique challenges facing Clinical Psychologists, including access to mental health services, stigma reduction, and promoting cultural competency within the field of psychology. In summary, I am excited about the opportunity to continue contributing my skills and passion to SCP. I am confident that my dedication, expertise, and collaborative approach will allow me to effectively serve the needs of both the psychology profession and the community at large. Thank you for considering my candidacy.