Practice Leadership Conference 2020 was a huge success! Ideas were shared, lessons were learned and relationships were built. In the midst of all of it, nearly 50 early career psychologist delegates and graduate student delegates had the opportunity to attend programming focused on leadership development. In the orientation session, Scott Sperling, vice chair of the Committee on Early Career Psychologists, shared insight into the ethos, pathos and logos of leadership, while Nadika Paranamana, chair of the Advocacy Coordinating Team for the American Psychological Association’s graduate student group, helped attendees learn how to communicate as leaders using spaghetti and marshmallows. Breakout sessions offered information about leadership as well as practice and advocacy issues pertinent to leaders in psychology.
At the awards luncheon, the Washington D.C. Psychological Association received the Early Career Licensure Project Award for working to allow internship hours to count for licensure. The Pennsylvania Psychology Association won the Div. 31 Early Career Initiative Award, while the Arkansas Psychological Association won the Div. 31 Diversity Award. During the wrap-up session, attendees were asked to make leadership goals and to focus on lessons they will take home to their home State, Provincial and Territorial Associations. Overall, it was a successful conference, and we look forward to doing it all again in 2021.