Candidate statements

Margaret Schneider, PhD

In 1980 I decided to do my dissertation on the coming-out process among lesbians. Although I was advised that I would not find a supervisor and never graduate, I did both and subsequently pursued a life-long commitment to LGBTQ research and advocacy. I have served on APA’s (then) Committee on LGB Issues, chaired APA’s Task Force on Gender Identity and Gender Variance and served as member-at-large for Div. 44 executive. I am a Div. 44, Div. 27 and APA fellow. These positions have developed my understanding of the role of Div. 44 within APA’s structure. My career began as a coordinator for a large organization that advocated for LGBTQ youth in Ontario, Canada. Subsequently I joined the faculty of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at University of Toronto on the strength of my LGBTQ research. I have served on the university’s research ethics boards for over 15 years, and chaired (eight years) the social sciences/humanities/education REB where my leadership style emphasized cooperation and consensus building. My mindfulness of diversity and the often invisible (but no less destructive) processes that undermine social justice has been shaped by the multicultural emphasis at OISE. In the current political climate the rights of LGBTQ people, as well as minoritized groups, are at risk. In running for office I offer my leadership abilities, familiarity with APA, and commitment to LGBTQ research, education, practice and advocacy. If elected, I look forward to being of service within the division and in collaboration with our allies.

Margaret Rosario, PhD

I am honored to be nominated for the position of president-elect of Div. 44 and pleased for the opportunity to thank the division for the honors it has already bestowed on me: fellowship status and the awards for Distinguished Contribution to Ethnic Minority Issues and for Distinguished Scientific Contributions. I am a researcher who focuses on the concepts of identity and stress, as well as the health and adaptational implications of these concepts. The research has primarily centered on lesbian, gay and bisexual young people undergoing sexual identity development. The relations between stress and sexual identity development on the one hand to both health and adaptation on the other hand are of critical interest, as are the mediators and moderators of those relations. In addition, I am interested in the determinants of sexual orientation and the intersection of multiple identities. I will bring to the Division the skills of a researcher, knowledge of biopsychosocial and epidemiological issues pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity, and the sensitivities of someone who lives at the intersection of multiple identities. The totality of this background will be critical as I seek to identify, understand and respond to the needs of the division with the assistance and collaboration of the membership. In closing, I am a professor of psychology at The City University of New York — The City College and Graduate Center, and a faculty member in the doctoral programs of clinical psychology, health psychology and clinical science, and basic and applied social psychology. I am a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. I am an associate editor of the Journal of Sex Research and on the editorial boards of Archives of Sexual Behavior and the American Journal of Community Psychology. My postdoctoral training was conducted at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, the doctoral and master’s degrees were awarded by New York University and the bachelor’s degree was conferred by Princeton University.

Mira C. Krishnan, PhD, ABPP

I am honored to be considered for the role of treasurer of Div. 44. My past service to APA includes the Program Committee for Div. 40 and the Finance Committee for Div. 44, and I am currently co-chair of the Committee for Transgender People and Gender Diversity and co-chair of Div. 35's Gender Inclusivity Taskforce.

I bring to APA experience creating and overseeing program/department budgets in excess of $2 million, with a strong commitment to collaboration, transparency, ethical stewardship of financial resources, and building fiscal sustainability, as well as experience serving as treasurer for other organizations with comparable budgets. My top priority would be supporting the division in enhancing our understanding of the LGBTQ community and meets the needs of gender and sexually diverse people, while making sure that we are well poised, financially, to serve in this capacity for many years to come and to respond to future challenges.

Additionally, I am an early career psychologist (PhD 2009, ABPP 2013), and I am interested in increasing representation and support for voices within the division that have not been heard, and representation within research on gender and sexual diversity, and as I am thankful for the hand held down to me by those who came before me, I would seek to offer a hand to lift up the next generation of our colleagues. Thank you so much for your consideration.

Erin Deneke, PhD

I have served as the division treasurer for three years now and have a dedication to our members and Div. 44. As so many of us feel, it is my professional home. In my job as treasurer I have navigated the significant change that the APA accounting department has underwent since I first began my term and have developed a solid working relationship with that department. I have guided the development of our division's budget and have managed our resources in a fiscally responsible manner. It is my job to ensure that our finances are managed responsibly for all our members, and I take that charge seriously. I believe in conservative spending with flexibility, allowing the division to increase its offerings to members as can be observed through the division’s recent online seminar for CEs. In my job as the director of research where I work, I develop and manage the large budget of my department and negotiate with outside universities for subcontract awards for federal grants. I bring with me the breadth of knowledge and skills I have of managing the Div. 44 financial resources as well as the budget of a department of a national organization. It would be my honor to serve you and Div. 44 as treasurer for another term. Thank you for your support as your current treasurer, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve you again.

Melissa J Grey, PhD

I am honored to be nominated for the member-at-large position. Div. 44’s mission is integrated into my work 1) as a community college faculty member, including as an associate professor and a GSA advisor, 2) as a therapist and supervisor in our openly LGBTQ+ and poly affirming, sex positive, multicultural, and feminist group practice, and 3) as a project coordinator and activist, collaborating with Michigan communities and organizations by using social science to advance social justice, especially LGBTQ+ equality.

Div. 44 has been my professional home. Since 2008, I served the Public Policy Committee (PPC), including four years as a chair. With my leadership, we annually surveyed Div. 44 members to learn what policy issues were most concerning and to facilitate engagement in those issues. As presidential administrations and associated advocacy strategy shift over time — balancing and rebalancing grassroots efforts and directly educating legislators — we engaged in multiple activities, including offering opportunities to strengthen advocacy skills at convention and collaborating with psychologists in more than 12 states about active/potential legislation, including religious-exemptions, marriage equality, SOCE/GICE (conversion efforts) and non-discrimination. I am grateful to continue as a PPC member while I facilitate efforts to strengthen APA’s statements on SOCE/GICE with the SOGD Committee.

Although 2017 politics look quite different for us, we have been engaged in these movements a long time. As a community, we are well-equipped to advance LGBTQ health, justice and equality, and I would be honored to represent you in Div. 44’s efforts as a member-at-large.

Melanie E. Brewster, PhD

It is with great joy and humility that I submit myself to be considered for a member-at-large (MAL) position with Div. 44. I have unofficially and officially been a part of the Div. 44 family since I was a graduate student and regularly attended and/or presented in the annual Bisexual Issues Committee (BIC) programming at APA. As a faculty member, I formally moved into a leadership position with Div. 44 as the communications coordinator for the BIC from 2013-2016. In addition to this role, I also became the co-chair of this committee and a nonvoting member of the EC in March 2014 and served in this role until March 2017. Throughout the duration of this position, my co-chairs and I put together extensive programming at APA, NMSC and training webinars specific to bisexual issues. We also worked to enliven the near dormant bisexual issues listserve with regular newsletters that linked to recent studies and pop-culture references to sexual fluidity.

As an early career psychologist and assistant professor at Teachers College, Columbia University I have dedicated myself to advancing issues of sexual orientation and gender diversity through scholarship and teaching. I developed and currently teach the first permanent course on LGBTQ issues on our campus and also served as the advisor to our student group, Queer TC from 2013-17. I hope to bring my energy and passion for these topics to Div. 44 leadership as a MAL.