From Continuing Education to Federal Advocacy to Independent Practice or the Disaster Response Network, GPA’s committee structure provides many opportunities for members to engage in programmatic and operational activities of the association.
Committees are the foundation for accomplishing the goals and objectives of GPA annually.
Committee membership and participation is open to all GPA members.
To learn more about your committee of interest, please click here and submit a contact request.
STANDING COMMITTEES
Membership Committee
- Identify and recruit new and retain existing GPA members.
- Promote the engagement of current members within GPA.
- Devise recruitment strategies, including but not limited to developing opportunities for connection at conferences, graduate programs, and networking events.
- Monitor membership renewals and reach out to members at risk of lapsing.
- Develop initiatives to increase member satisfaction and engagement.
The Membership Committee develops and manages GPA's membership recruitment and retention programs. The committee actively recruits new members with goals of diversity in ethnicity, demographics, organizational affiliations and areas of professional practice.
Committee Chair: Charmaine Mora-Ozuna, PhD and Ana Carina Ordaz, PhD
Continuing Education Committee
- Provide and promote outstanding continuing education for psychologists in Georgia.
- Solicit and organize high quality continuing education workshops.
- Review continuing education (CE) workshop applications to ensure that programs meet standard for CE credit.
The Continuing Education Committee furthers the professional development of member and non-member psychologists and other mental health professionals by selecting, scheduling and executing quality APA-approved continuing education workshops on behalf of GPA. The Committee also functions as an approval resource for other entities wishing to provide GPA-approved workshops using GPA’s ability to review and authorize such educational opportunities for the state of Georgia
Committee Co-Chairs: Mansi Mehta, PhD and Sheethal Reddy, PhD
Georgia Psychological Association Graduate Students (GPAGS) Committee
- Recruit and develop future leaders in GPA and the profession.
- Assess, represent, and work to meet the needs of trainees.
The Georgia Psychological Association of Graduate Students (GPAGS) is the branch of the Georgia Psychological Association (GPA) for all psychology graduate students and trainees who work or reside in Georgia. GPAGS is intended to enhance the development as future psychologists by connecting them with resources and opportunities that have been created specifically for graduate students. GPAGS members are actively engaged in leadership, building representation in political and educational arenas, and working to improve the field of psychology and the world!
Committee Chair: Abigail Akpobiyeri
Regions Committee
- Promote professional engagement among psychologists in geographic areas of Georgia.
- Promote those psychologists’ engagement with GPA.
Purpose of the Committee: Organize and coordinate regional associations to create greater membership and participation in GPA from all areas of the state.
GPA has a membership that reaches across the state of Georgia. The membership is 72% in the Metro area, but the 28% in the other sectors of the state is important for providing services to Georgians, for supporting legislative efforts, and for continuing to grow membership among the close to 4000 doctoral level psychologists in the state. Current membership in GPA stands at about 900, so there are lots of psychologists who can still be recruited to join GPA!
Committee Chair: Sylvia Knight, PhD
Legal and Legislative Advocacy Committee
- Monitor and coordinate GPA advocacy on all legal and legislative issues that impact the profession of psychology.
The LLA committee monitors all legal and legislative issues that impact or might impact the mental health of Georgians. In addition to monitoring issues and bills brought before the State Legislature, the committee works in concert with the GPA lobbyist to influence and educate state legislators and to keep the GPA membership informed of actions related to legislative advocacy.
Committee Chair: William Buchanan, PhD, ABPP
Business of Practice Committee
- Assess, represent, and work to meet the needs of psychologists in all forms of applied practice.
- Assess and work to address the challenges that practicing psychologists face when interfacing with insurance and managed care.
The Business of Practice Committee is comprised of several working groups devoted to meeting the different needs of psychologists in various subspeciality practice areas and/or addressing specific practice related needs . These areas may include: insurance and managed care, independent practice, etc.
Committee Chair: Nathan Mascaro, PhD, ABPP
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee
- Promote justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within GPA and the profession of psychology.
- Provide opportunities for members to engage in promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The JEDI Standing Committee is comprised of several working committees devoted to different aspects of diversity. This ranges from working committees focused on specific patient populations, to those committed to ensuring equity and inclusion throughout GPA. These working committees may serve their charge by planning continuing education workshops, networking opportunities with a focus on the JEDI mission, engaging in community events, and more.
Committee Co-Chairs: Lillie Huddleston, PhD & Kandi Schmidt, PhD
CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES
Finance Committee
The Finance Consultation Committee serves in an advisory role to the Treasurer, Board of Directors (BOD), and Executive Director (ED).
The Finance Committee assists the Treasurer in the oversight of and fiduciary responsibility for the Association's finances. The Committee reviews financial reports, participates in the preparation/approval process for the budget, and sets a strategy for keeping the financial health and well-being of the Association strong. The Committee reviews investments regularly, makes recommendations related to the annual audit, and creates a strategy for maintaining, increasing, and replenishing reserves.
Committee Chair: Monique Hunter, PhD, ABPP
Ethics Committee
The Ethics Consultation Committee serves as an advisory panel and responds to requests for consultation from members of GPA regarding ethical issues.
The fundamental objective of the Committee shall be to promote the application of ethical principles to all manifestations of psychological work by the members of the Association through education, consultation and promotion of activities that focus on issues related to the field of psychology.
Committee Chair: Aynsley Corbett, PsyD
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEES
Nominations & Elections Committee
The Nominations or Elections Committee is responsible for managing the process of selecting and electing individuals to leadership positions within GPA as well as GPA Fellows and Council of Representatives candidates for APA. The members of this committee are typically selected by the Committee Chair, who is the President-elect.
Committee Chair: Adriana Flores, PhD
Annual Meeting Program Committee
The Annual Meeting Planning Committee works with the ED, or Staff Designee, and the President to plan and develop the program for the annual meeting.
The Annual Meeting Program Committee collaborates with the Executive Director, President, and GPA Staff to develop the program for the annual meeting and to offer onsite support.
Committee Co-Chairs: Danielle Currin, PhD and Emily Jackson, PhD
Public Interest Review Committee (PIRC)
The Public Interest Review Committee (PIRC) serves in an advisory role to the BOD on potential GPA comments on public interest issues, with the exclusion of legal and legislative advocacy matters.
The fundamental objective of the Committee shall be to consider, and perhaps, taking action regarding public policy, issues of public interest, or legislation of relevance to the practice and/or science of psychology. It is impossible to anticipate all circumstances to which GPA may opt to respond. And different circumstances will warrant different responses. However, the goal of PIRC is facilitating GPA's role in addressing public policy issues to enhance the welfare of all Georgia's citizens.
Any member of GPA can initiate a process urging the Association to take a position on an issue of public policy, social action and/or legislation. Click here for Instructions.
Committee Chair: Jennifer Steiner, PhD, ABPP
Leadership Academy Steering Committee
With the approval of the BOD in November, 2023, a plan for the revitalization of the GPA Leadership Academy was adopted. To that end, a core faculty of five outstanding leaders of GPA were assembled to serve as the Leadership Academy Steering Committee (LASC).
The LASC will create a Leadership Academy that will be a major force in creating a pipeline of leaders for GPA and be sustainable over time.
Committee Chair: Jennifer Kelly, PhD, ABPP
Listserv Moderation Committee
The Listserv Moderation Committee monitors and provides support for the GPA Premium Listserv by monitoring posts for adherence to the listserv procedures and policies, taking corrective action, consulting with GPA leadership when needed, and addressing member queries.
Committee Chair: TBD
Academic Affairs Committee
The Academic Affairs Committee oversees the implementation of the Research Request Policy for Non-Association Purposes and coordinates any student research presentation program the occurs as part of our separate from the GPA Annual Meeting.
Academic Affairs works to 1) promote the science of psychology; 2) meet the needs of and engage member academic psychologists; 3) foster relationships with relevant academic departments and their students; and 4) ensures that there are opportunities for academic psychologists to contribute their knowledge and skills to the association. Academic Affairs is also the sponsor of GPA's Annual Student Poster Session.
Committee Chair: Allison LoPilato, PhD
