Chair: Joel Wong, PhD
Work Affiliation: Indiana University
Areas of Interest Related to Positive Psychology: psychology of encouragement, psychology of gratitude, the intersection of social justice and positive psychology
Goals for your work as a Section Officer/Representative for the next two years: (a) promote the section’s resources; (b) promote the intersection of social justice and positive psychology; (f) organize webinars on positive psychology for professionals and laypeople.
Past Chair: Rhea Owens, PhD
Work Affiliation: University of Minnesota Duluth
Areas of Interest related to Positive Psychology: (a) the assessment, development, and use of strengths; (b) the clinical application of positive psychology; and (c) the mental health and well-being of underrepresented, underserved, and economically disadvantaged children and youth.
Goals for your work as a Section Officer/Representative for the next two years: Broaden the awareness of positive psychology within Division 17 and APA’s membership. Provide conference programming related to positive psychology and how it intersects with other fields within psychology.rence.
Chair Elect: Donnie Davis, PhD
Work Affiliation: Georgia State University
Areas of Interest Related to Positive Psychology: psychology of humility, gratitude, and forgiveness; cultural humility within psychotherapy.
Goals for your work as a Section Officer/Representative for the next two years: to explore ways to form a stronger network that leverages resources and relationships to engage and support early career psychologists; to promote work on social justice and positive psychology.
Secretary: Dacia Oberhelman, PhD, LP
Work Affiliation: St. Cloud VA
Contact Dacia Oberhelman
Areas of Interest Related to Positive Psychology: Posttraumatic growth interventions, self-compassion within clinical work, grit, and measuring and incorporating strengths into clinical practice.
Goals for your work as a Section Officer/Representative for the next two years: To increase awareness and knowledge of positive psychology clinical interventions and research with other counseling psychologists.
Treasurer: Ingrid Weigold, PhD
Work/School Affiliation: The University of Akron
Areas of Interest related to Positive Psychology: The influence of human agency on college student academic, career, and personal development; international student wellbeing.
Goals for your work as a Section Officer/Representative for the next two years: I’m excited to spread awareness of and promote the section!
Publication Editor: John Wade, PhD
Work/School Affiliation: Emporia State University
Your Areas of Interest Related to Positive Psychology: Strength-based supervision and training, Second-Wave Positive Psychology
Goals for your work as a Section Representative for the next two years: Broaden awareness of Positive Psychology within Division 17, and help to facilitate thought-provoking and practically applied communication with both researchers and practitioners
Associate Publication Editor: Clarie Koehn, PhD
Work Affiliation: Kansas City VA
Areas of Interest Related to Positive Psychology: Purpose and meaning, self-compassion, spirituality, the intersection of LGBTQIA+ identities and positive psychology, and collective well-being through advocacy and social justice.
Goals for your work as a Section Officer/Representative for the next two years: Increase awareness of positive psychology so that others can apply what’s useful and live their best lives.
Resource Representative: Jonah Li, PhD
Work Affiliation: University of Washington Tacoma
Contact Jonah Li
Areas of interest related to positive psychology: advancing the conceptualizations, measurements, and interventions of positive psychological experiences, such as meaning and purpose in life, character strengths, gratitude, well-being, and hope in diverse and marginalized populations
Goals for your work as a section representative: Promote positive psychological resources in research and practice
Professional Networking Representative: Shaina Kumar, PhD
Professional Affiliation: Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and VA Boston National Center for PTSD
Areas of Interest Related to Positive Psychology: Promotion of resiliency and well-being in the aftermath of stressful and traumatic experiences
Goals for your work as a Section Officer/Representative: I am excited to help foster a sense of connection among folks with an interest in positive psychology!
Social Media Representative: Anna Brice Taylor, BS, PhD Student
Work/School Affiliation: Indiana University
Contact Anna Brice Taylor
Areas of interest related to positive psychology: Interested in the psychology of gratitude, psychology of physical health, strengths-based counseling, and, in particular, how these topics may apply to the treatment of addictions
Goals for your work as a Section Representative: I look forward to promoting resources and information about Positive Psychology and our section, and I'm eager to create material that reaches beyond professions in psychology to other fields and populations.
Membership Representative: Cheyenne James, MS Ed, LPC, CSAC, Doctoral Psychology Intern
Professional Affiliation: Radford University and Doctoral Psychology Intern at Appalachian State University
Areas of interest related to positive psychology: Self-compassion, Self-care and burnout, imposter phenomena, post-traumatic growth, and mindfulness
Goals for your work as a Section Officer/Representative: Increase membership, provide a warm welcome to new members, provide webinars and support with positive psych section needs.
Student Representative: Samantha Gonzalez, BS, PhD Student
Professional Affiliation: Texas Tech University
Areas of interest related to positive psychology: I am interested in self-compassion, mindfulness, and the role of personal growth initiative in reducing mental health stigma and increasing treatment seeking among Latine college students.
Goals for your work as a Section Representative: By leading the Student Campus Representative program, I aim to spread awareness of our positive psychology resources/research and create a space to cultivate positive interpersonal relationships among psychologists in training and recruit first-generation students!
Webmaster: Brian P. Cole, PhD
Professional Affiliation: University of Kansas
Areas of interest related to positive psychology: Hope, positive psychotherapy and strength-based counseling, positive psychology and masculinities
Goals for your work as a Section Representative: To share the great work created by our members!
Campus Representatives
Margeaux Cannon - University of Albany
Jasmine Davis - University of Denver
Amanda Priest - University of Massachusetts Boston
Dakota Leget University of Minnesota Duluth
Linda Zheng University of Minnesota Duluth
Summer Lardy - University of North Dakota
Cheyenne James - Radford University
Shiho Toyama - University of North Texas
Priya S. Patel-Shah - Tennessee State University
Laina Nelson - Oklahoma State University
Audrey Scaer - Oklahoma State University
Zach Harwerth - University of St. Thomas
Barrett Williams - Oklahoma State University
Areli Garcia - Our Lady of the Lake University
Joey White - University of Memphis
Nainika Hira - University of Delhi