Anthony Liguori Council Representative Statement

As a Fellow of Div. 28, I am honored and grateful to accept the nomination for membership on the American Psychological Association Council of Representatives. Since my first APA convention in Boston 24 years ago, I have been firmly committed to the mission of the Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse division. I have served the division as an Executive Committee member for 15 years, as Program Chair, Awards Chair, Member-at-Large, and, in 2013, President.

I believe that for Div. 28 to remain strong and impactful, it requires synergistic interactions that drive the field forward. In this regard, a key initiative during my Presidency was the co-creation of the Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction mid-year conference. This meeting, which fosters shared perspectives and translational research between Div. 28 and Div. 50, recently completed its second annual meeting with a 25 percent increase in attendance over 2013's meeting.

Synergistic interactions among divisional representatives are essential to your voice being heard within APA Council. That is, what we representatives do together is more powerful than what any of us can do alone. As your representative, my primary charge will be to keep you informed of Council agendas and gather a consensus of your views about these topics. This is particularly important as APA pursues a new model of governance. I am driven by a need to keep science represented strongly within APA. While Div. 28 has only one vote, I will constantly seek common ground with representatives of scientific—and clinical—divisions to protect your interests.