Time is interesting. I checked my IPA profile recently, and it seems I joined IPA on 5/1/1991. That was 33 years ago. It does not seem that long ago that I was green to IPA. Other (more notable) events that year included the first US-Iraqi war (Desert Storm), the beating of Rodney King, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. While it seems those things are a long time ago, sadly they seem to have an ongoing echo today. And yet time passes, and it seems inconceivable that I am slipping into the old guard. Given that time seems to compress as we age (at least as long as we are “with it” enough to perceive time), so perhaps I can use that as my explanation for why my first blog post is appearing in April rather than in
February or March. Or not. 

Let me introduce myself. I am an Iowan born and raised, leaving for stints for undergraduate school at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and internship at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis. I attended graduate school at Iowa State University, where interestingly I had also lived from ages 2-5 when my father was in school there. I joined IPA while on internship and looking for employment opportunities to return to Iowa. While I typically prefer to vacation elsewhere, Iowa is clearly my home. 

Home is such an important concept. It is where we feel safe, connected, contented. In the Compassion Focused Therapy model, it resides in the “soothing system” part of the emotional regulation system. It corresponds to the affiliative aspects of ourselves. We generally consider our family, our house, and our neighborhood to be home, but in many respects other systems, large and small, can also be home. As I said, for me Iowa is home. I have always strived to have the places I work feel like home also, growing connections with others I respect, enjoy, and trust. And I have always seen IPA as a professional home as well. Over the years, I have met colleagues that have turned into friends, and experienced places not
only of learning but also of safety. This is what I hope IPA can be to all its members. Not simply a place to gain CEUs and learn what is afoot in psychology, but a place to genuinely be. At this year’s spring conference, Dr. Benge Tallman, after being awarded the Phil Laughlin Meritorious Achievement Award, exemplified in the spirit of his response a clear sense of home among his fellow state psychologists. I wish for everyone the ability to find in IPA what is most needed in a professional organization.

To that end, I want to echo the many calls to step into leadership in whatever ways seem to fit. I have been in and out of leadership a couple of times in IPA. I put off the presidency until I was older, for my own reasons. Others are relatively new to the field when they step into that role. Some people serve by taking leadership positions in the executive council, others join committees, or take a role in special projects. Whatever seems to fit your expertise and interest, there is a role for you at the time you are ready to fill it. I encourage you to get involved. Let us all be home to one another. We need volunteers to fill many needs. Currently, we are looking to fill the roles of IPA President-Elect, State Advocacy Coordinator, Treasurer, and IPA Representative for next year. And nearly every committee has room for additional members to assist with furthering their goals.

Thus far this year, we have had several things happen. We have already had our Spring Conference (and the accompanying annual business meeting). This year’s spring conference taught us the nuances of OCD and its treatment. The presenters were excellent, and the facility was quite good as well. We’ve already had 2 online/virtual presentations (on Cultural Humility and Ketamine treatment). The year isn’t even half over and there has already been the opportunity for 15 CEUs. Dr. David Drustrup will present an online conference, “Addressing Whiteness in Psychotherapy Clinical & System Approaches,” on June 7. The Fall Conference will also be online this year. On September 27, Dr. Yossef Ben-Porath will present on the MMPI-3. And of course there are the ongoing online psychopharmacology trainings by NMSU.

For those who were not at the spring conference, Dr. Jenna Paternostro did the big reveal for IPA’s new logo. It will be put into use in the near future. She and other members of the rebranding workgroup are collaborating with consultants for the final pieces to accompany the logo redesign. In addition, we will be redesigning the IPA webpage. Hopefully, it will be both more up-to-date looking and more user-friendly. Look for more to come on those topics in the near future.

Perhaps less interesting, on the “nuts and bolts” side of the organization, there has been ongoing work to shape the strategic goals of the organization for the coming year, and there is some ongoing work on the policies and procedures of the association as well. This year, we were awarded $15,000 from the APA’s Small State Operational Grant to support the salary of our Executive Director and our ongoing efforts to improve our mission. And on the disappointing side of things, despite considerable efforts by the organization, we were unable to stop the Governor’s plan to combine the mental health licensing boards. We will now be overseen by a board comprised of psychologists, social workers, licensed mental
health therapists, licensed marriage & family therapists, and an Applied Behavioral Analyst.

So, finally, back to the age thing. I don’t actually feel as old as some people seem to think I am. But I am older than the grandparents of some of the teenagers with whom I work. One called me a relic not long ago (I responded I hoped I was the sacred kind). Yet, my own kids are just in the getting-ready-to-launch stage. Time is said to provide us with perspective, but our perspectives at any time of our life are inherently valuable no matter the age. Interestingly, though my perspective on IPA has become more nuanced (and deep) over time, it remains largely unchanged. I hope it can be, and remain, home for all of you as well.

The year’s end is rapidly approaching, and what a year it’s been for IPA! You can read my updates from spring and summer here and here.

I think one of the most exciting things this year is that IPA created a Marketing Consultant Workgroup, headed by early career psychologist Dr. Jenna Paternostro. This workgroup’s task is to complete a rebranding and website redesign project! IPA wants to position itself as Iowa’s leader in mental and behavioral health. The Executive Council (EC) believes this project will attract new members and frame IPA and its members as the experts in psychological science to better serve the public. This is a stepwise project, and the first step of logo redesign is already underway. The workgroup is collaborating with SuperWink Studio, an Iowa-based design firm, to enhance IPA’s recognition among members and the public. We are on track and projected to launch the new logo in early spring. The second step in the process will be the website redesign, and we hope to have a contract for this work signed by the end of the year. The website redesign is intended to improve user experience, enhance IPA’s visibility and inclusivity, and increase accessibility of our public education resources. As a nerd for all things design, I could not be more excited about this project and how it will benefit IPA!

IPA has continued offering continuing education opportunities for its members. The second half of the year featured two training opportunities led by IPA members! Our Fall Conference was in October at which Dr. Krista Brittain presented on Therapeutic Assessment. Later that month, Dr. Allison Momany presented on gender identity and expression in neurodiverse youth. We are excited to continue these CE offerings in 2024. The first event planned is a 2-CE training event on Cultural Humility with IPA’s own Dr. Joyce Goins-Fernandez on January 26th from 1-3pm. You can register for the event here.

Registration is also open for our 2024 Spring Conference. It will be March 22-23 and will feature two presenters from Rogers Behavioral Health discussing OCD. Day 1 will have Dr. David Jacobi presenting “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Current Understand and Treatment Considerations,” and Day 2 will have Dr. Chad Wetterneck presenting “A Tour Across the OCD Spectrum.” You may register for either or both days here. The Program Planning Committee is pleased to bring you continuing education on this topic, as it has been highly requested by members.

The Policies and Procedures (P&P) Manual Workgroup, a subgroup of the Strategic Plan Committee, is approaching the end of a project that has been underway since 2021. This group includes Drs. Alissa Doobay, Nicole Keedy, Valerie Keffala, and myself. Dr. Ashley Freeman has provided editorial support, and Dr. Benge Tallman played a huge role in getting us up and running. This group was tasked with updating IPA’s P&P Manual including all committee descriptions, all EC position descriptions, all policies, and all operating procedures. I don’t think any of us had any idea exactly how big of a task this was. We initially thought this would be a one-year project; however, nearly three years later, the finish line is finally in sight! The changes made have been approved by the EC. We are so proud of the work that we’ve done because the finished document will be the go-to place to find answers to all the “how do we…?” and “what is the…?” questions about IPA operations. In 2024, the P&P workgroup will be proposing some bylaws changes to the EC that, pending approval, will be brought to membership for a vote.

This was a challenging and productive year for IPA in terms of leadership recruitment. As you know, Dr. Mark Poeppe resigned from his role as 2023 President-Elect in August. I’m grateful for Dr. Dave Beeman who stepped into that role following approval from the EC. Our annual EC election was delayed until we found a candidate to run for President-Elect. I’m thrilled that early career psychologist, Dr. Isaac Hooley, agreed to run. I look forward to serving on the Triad with them in 2024 as Past-President.

Other changes in leadership include Dr. Jennifer Kauder’s election as Diversity Liaison. She and Dr. Lisa Streyffeler will be co-chairing the Diversity and Social Justice (DSJ) Committee, which has been without an official co-/chair this year. Another exciting change is that Dr. Ron Hougen will be chairing and resurrecting the Ethics Committee, which has not been operational since 2022. If you are interested in joining the DSJ or Ethics Committee (or any other committee), please let me know. In 2024, the EC will be welcoming Ashley Banta as our Student Division Representative (SDR) and Tianxin Wang as our Student Division Representative Elect. I want to thank Eric Field for his service as this year’s SDR and his initiative to formally institute, with EC approval, the role of the SDR Elect. It was an idea that will meaningfully add to succession planning and continuity of leadership.

Next year we will be recruiting for two key roles on the EC: Treasurer and IPA Member Representative. Drs. Sarah Fetter and Katie Kopp will be concluding their terms in these positions, respectively. As we do every year, we will also be recruiting for President-Elect. We continue to recruit for a State Advocacy Coordinator, as this position has been officially vacant since 2022. This is a crucial role for IPA and our ability to advocate for psychological science and safeguarding the profession is significantly limited without someone in it. If you would like to learn more about any of these leadership positions, do not hesitate to contact me or anyone one else current in leadership.

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our outgoing Past-President, Dr. Nicole Keedy. She joined the Triad in 2021, back when the pandemic was making weekly headlines, psychologists were facing professional demands like never before, and IPA was growing. She has been a steadfast support and leadership partner this year, and this year would have been so much more difficult had she not been by my side. I am grateful for her leadership, kindness, compassion, and friendship. IPA is better for having had her at the helm. Thank you for your service to us all, Nicole.

It has been a privilege to serve you as IPA President this year. My goal was to be a good steward of the association, and I worked hard while navigating leadership challenges and balancing the many other aspects of life. I am proud of what the EC and IPA committees and workgroups have accomplished this year because I believe it is for the betterment of our association, our members, and our ability to meet the mental and behavioral health needs of Iowans. I am excited to see where IPA goes in 2024. For now, though, I will sign off by wishing you a peaceful year’s end in which you spend your time doing what feels meaningful and restorative to you.

The end of 2022, and an incredibly rewarding year as IPA President, offers a sense of fulfillment, reflection, and great optimism regarding 2023. The Spring Presidential Update listed leaders and committee members in IPA who have continued to serve diligently throughout this year, to accomplish the Strategic Plan goals outlined in the Summer Update. Our leaders have dedicated time, thought, and energy into updating their Strategic Plan goals, objectives, and tactics for 2023, encompassing ambitious and meaningful aims for the approaching year. We are all fortunate to benefit from the time and talents of many IPA members whose passion and loyalty provide an astounding degree of accomplishment for a small state association. I have been honored, humbled, and gratified to serve IPA with this inspiring group of psychologists and professionals.

Highlights of 2022

For the December meeting of IPA’s Executive Council, each committee was asked to provide an annual review of their accomplishments in line with their 2022 Strategic Plan Worksheets. Reviewing these year-end reports provided a sense of overwhelming appreciation for the breadth of achievements across the association. While an exhaustive list of efforts would fill many pages, this summary offers a glimpse of IPA’s valuable activities over the course of this year. It has been a great pleasure to serve in the Presidential Triad with Dr. Nicole Holmberg and Dr. Valerie Keffala, offering an inside glimpse of the many efforts of IPA committees and Executive Council members.

Over the course of this year, the Program Planning Committee, co-chaired by Dr. Nicole Holmberg, Dr. Valerie Keffala, and myself collaborated with the IPA Executive Director, Ms. Suzanne Hull, to host two amazing conferences regarding Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions with Dr. Eli Lebowitz and Compassion-Focused Therapy with Dr. Russell Kolts. Returning to in-person conferences was exciting and uplifting after two years in which we were unable to comfortably gather. Additionally, IPA hosted nine virtual training events, contributing to a total of 36.5 CEUs available to members through IPA this year.

The Finance Committee, chaired by the IPA Treasurer, Dr. Sarah Fetter, has diligently worked to maintain the financial stability of the association. In addition to offering the opportunity for committees to obtain extra funding for special projects this year, IPA was able to completely restore the balance of its investment account. Additionally, the Finance Committee’s thoughtful oversight of the budget has allowed the Program Planning Committee to bring widely renowned speakers to Iowa.

The Disaster Response Committee, chaired by Dr. Ashley Freeman, has created key partnerships with local and national organizations regarding disaster training and resources. They disseminated information regarding available training in Psychological First Aid and resources for members to utilize and share after the tornado struck central Iowa on March 5 and following mass shootings in Uvalde, TX on May 24 and Cornerstone Church in Ames, IA on June 2. Additionally, this committee has developed a comprehensive Disaster Resources List available on the IPA website: https://iopa.memberclicks.net/disaster-response-resources.

The Diversity and Social Justice Committee, under leadership of Dr. Joyce Goins Fernandez and Dr. Nicole Holmberg (who are seeking replacement (co)chairs for 2023), arranged three of the CE events focusing on disability as an area of diversity. They posted 15 Diversity Spotlights to the E-list and hosted 4 virtual book/video discussions to foster connection and reflection regarding issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Additionally, they addressed member questions with the launch of their “Ask the DSJ!” email service and they initiated the role of a liaison to the Advocacy Team to promote EDI consideration in IPA’s advocacy efforts.

The Membership Committee, co-chaired by Dr. Alissa Doobay and myself, demonstrated successful results with their Strategic Plan efforts, meeting their goal of a 2% increase in new full members from May 2021 to May 2022 as well as far surpassing the same goal for student members. Following the implementation of the student sponsorship and mentorship programs and active efforts to recruit students, IPA now has an astonishing total of 49 student members.  These students have been actively engaged in committees and leadership, providing foundational vitality to the organization.

The Psychopharmacology Committee, chaired by Dr. Elizabeth Lonning, has continued strong efforts to promote the ability for Iowa psychologists to serve the state as prescribing providers. With the active support of this committee, three Iowa psychologists attained the status of Conditional Prescribing Psychologist in 2022 (bringing the state’s total to 4). This committee has also provided information to students, the New Jersey Psychological Association, and IPA members regarding Iowa’s legislative process and becoming a prescribing psychologist. They have provide multiple resources for the public and for IPA members on the website: https://iopa.memberclicks.net/rxp.

The Director of Professional Affairs (DPA), Dr. Elizabeth Lonning, has made outstanding strides in connecting with insurance companies and a group of APA DPAs to facilitate advocacy and communication to assist our members in navigating various professional concerns that have arisen this year. Members have expressed immense gratitude for the direct benefit to their practices of Dr. Lonning’s expert assistance.

The Advocacy Team has communicated regarding effective ways to provide science-based information to legislators regarding social justice priorities that may affect Iowans, such as health equity. Our Federal Advocacy Coordinator, Dr. JoAnna Romero Cartaya, has facilitated advocacy efforts to promote reimbursement of trainees via Medicare, continued telehealth reimbursement, and appropriation of educational grants for psychology trainees. Our State Advocacy Coordinator, Dr. Paul Aschemann (seeking a replacement for 2023) successfully facilitated advocacy for provisional licensure of psychology interns in Iowa and rejection of a bill that would have required psychologists to provide testing materials and data to attorneys.

Our APA Representative, Dr. Sally Oakes Edman, successfully assisted in seeking a replacement for 2023 to represent IPA within APA’s Council of Representatives, Dr. Paul Aschemann. Dr. Oakes Edman has served as a voting member of IPA’s Executive Council for 16 years and her role as the APA Representative has provided valuable communication between IPA members and the APA Council of Representatives.

In addition to the above efforts, the Public Education Committee, under leadership of Dr. Valerie Keffala and Dr. Warren Phillips, initiated a revival of this committee’s efforts with outreach and support to Ukrainian refugees. The WEB Committee, co-chaired by Dr. Katie Kopp and Ms. Suzanne Hull, increased accessibility of the IPA website. The Ethics Committee, chaired by Dr. Marla Shapiro (currently seeking a new chair) assisted in the updating of a job description for the Policies and Procedures (P&P) manual and offered suggestions regarding ethical and EDI considerations to the Program Planning Committee, with hopes of increasing participation on this committee in the upcoming year. The P&P Workgroup (consisting of Dr. Alissa Doobay, Dr. Nicole Holmberg, Dr. Valerie Keffala, and myself) communicated with multiple IPA leaders, sent countless emails, and met for two day-long retreats during which they revised and updated 14 job descriptions for the P&P Manual that were approved by Executive Council in 2022. The IPA training director, Dr. Matthew Cooper, has worked to promote ongoing training via six post-doctoral sites in Iowa and he continues conversations to increase both internship and post-doctoral training opportunities in the state. The IPA Diversity Liaison, Dr. Joyce Goins-Fernandez, continues to advocate for EDI considerations on Executive Council and she organized two informative and engaging CE trainings for IPA members in 2022. Additionally, our IPA Representatives Dr. Scott Young and Dr. Katie Kopp, as well as the IPA Student Representative, Eric Field, have actively engaged in Executive Council meetings to represent our broad membership with concerns and requests that help IPA leadership serve our members thoughtfully and effectively.

Anticipated Highlights of 2023

As we anticipate another year of IPA activities, it is important to thank each and every IPA member that supports the efforts of the association through social connection, offering valuable information, providing tireless time and energy toward IPA’s Strategic Plan, and, of course, paying membership dues to support IPA’s many efforts. I am excited to transition to the skilled leadership of our incoming IPA President, Dr. Nicole Holmberg and President Elect, Dr. Mark Poeppe. A few highlights to which we may look forward for 2023 include a number of exciting training events as well as an ambitious legislative agenda. Of note, the IPA Representatives have collaborated with Executive Council, the Presidential Triad, and the Executive Director to develop a procedure to increase awareness and engagement of IPA’s membership in the activities of Executive Council, with more information coming soon.

The Program Planning Committee, in collaboration with multiple committees and leaders, is excited for the following training events for which registration is open, in addition to multiple training ideas in the planning phase for 2023.

• Webinar: “The Mind, Lives, and Motivations of Mass Attackers” presented by Dr. Peter Langman on 1/27/2023 from 1-4pm, hosted in collaboration with the Council of Executives of State and Provincial Psychological Associations.

• “How Training Psychologists in Clinical Psychopharmacology Can Improve Patient Care Across Iowa” by Dr. Judi Steinman, hosted virtually on 3/22/2023 from 12 – 1:30pm.

• IPA Spring Conference: Taking Care of Us, including “The Neuroscience of Mindfulness-Based Meditation: A Day of Practice and Science” by Dr. Fadel Ziedan on 4/28/23 from 9am – 5pm and Values, Burnout, and Finding Work-Life Integrity by Dr. Jenna LeJeune on 4/29/23 from 9am – 5:15 at Honey Creek Resort in Moravia, Iowa.

• Online 2023 Trust Workshop: “Sequence X: Perplexing Problems in Psychological Practice: Decision Science, Ethics & Risk Management” by Dr. Daniel O. Taube on  6/9/23 from 8:30-12:00pm.

• Multiple psychopharmacology topics offered via a collaborative training arrangement with New Mexico State University.

The Executive Council approved a 2023 Iowa State Advocacy Agenda including multiple issues relating to the practice of psychology:

• Adjusting laws for prescribing psychologists to reduce barriers to obtaining prescription privileges

• Doubling funding for psychology interns

• Requiring self-insured plans to self-identify

• Protecting use of the title “psychologist”

• Advancing past improvements to the system, such as expanding telehealth, to facilitate efforts to provide much-needed psychological services to Iowans

Members are also encouraged to consider joining the Iowa Capitol Legislative Breakfast hosted by the Advocacy Team on March 21, with more information to follow.

Student members will soon engage in an updated process for electing a Student Division Representative-Elect, which intends to facilitate a smooth transition between successive Student Representatives participating on Executive Council. 

The Strategic Plan Committee, which will be co-chaired by Dr. Mark Poeppe and myself, is preparing to review annual reports and updated Strategic Plan Worksheets in the upcoming month. The committee has scheduled a day-long retreat in February to compile feedback and suggestions for each committee and to create a report that will be provided to membership at the Business Meeting scheduled to take place on April 1, 2023 from 8:15-9:00am via Zoom. We anticipate another highly productive and engaging year of efforts to serve and support our membership and the Iowans we all strive to serve. Thank you all for a fantastic year and cheers to a Happy New Year for IPA!

The Iowa Psychological Association has been working hard to serve its members, the field of psychology, and Iowans who benefit from our services. As we pass the midpoint of another productive year, this update serves to highlight a number of recent efforts that have successfully targeted IPA’s Strategic Plan Themes:

1. Education and Training
2. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
3. Building Connections and Community
4. Advocacy
5. Financial Stability

You are encouraged to read the full Strategic Plan, which is available on our website: https://iowapsychology.org/assets/Strategic%20plan%20Final%20edited%2003.27.2022.pdf.

Education and Training

The Public Education Committee, under leadership of co-chairs Dr. Valerie Keffala and Dr. Warren Phillips, recently worked with the IPA Training Director, Dr. Matt Cooper, to compile a list of resources they distributed to IPA members regarding providing psychological services to Ukrainian refugees. Dr. Phillips has also been collaborating with IPA member Dr. Alice Fridman Glass to improve access to psychological resources for Ukrainian refugees and immigrants. The Disaster Response Committee, under leadership of Dr. Ashley Freeman, has provided information regarding disaster response trainings and resources to IPA members via the member Elist.

The Program Planning Committee, under leadership of co-chairs Dr. Valerie Keffala, Dr. Nicole Holmberg, and myself, has been working hard to arrange an exciting array of upcoming training events in collaboration with various committees and IPA members. This committee has compiled a list of suggested training topics provided after training events and a survey administered by Dr. Kevin Krumvieda to ensure upcoming programming will target member interests. The current lineup includes the following events, for which you may register at https://iowapsychology.org/upcoming-events:

• Reawakening PTSD and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Treatment Perspectives (1.5 Hours) ONLINE VIA Zoom on July 27, 12pm – 1:30pm

• Don’t Let the “TR” Fool You: The DSM-5-TR is Far More Than a Text Revision (2 Hours) ONLINE VIA Zoom on Friday, August 26, 1 – 3pm

• What Psychologists Should Know about Disability as Diversity (3 Hours) ONLINE VIA Zoom on September 9, 9am – 12pm

• Iowa’s Legislative Process (1.5 Hours and free for all IPA members!) ONLINE VIA Zoom on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

• Ethical Considerations for Psychologists Working with People with Disabilities (3 ETHICS CE Hours), ONLINE VIA Zoom on September 16, 2022, 1 – 4pm

• IPA Fall Conference: CFT in Practice: An Introduction to Compassion-Focused Therapy (6 Hours) in West Des Moines on October 7, 2022, 8:15am – 4:30pm

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Diversity and Social Justice Committee, chaired by Dr. Nicole Holmberg, has collaborated with multiple committees, including the Strategic Planning Committee, to ensure consistent attention to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) across all activities and Strategic Plan Themes of the association. These efforts are reflected in the content provided under each of the themes. The committee now has a liaison, student member Angelica Castro Bueno, who participates actively in Membership Committee activities and they are considering additional committees on which DSJ liaisons may serve.

Building Connections and Community

The Program Planning Committee and Membership Committee are collaborating to prepare a social event with an integrated student poster session for the 2023 Spring Conference. The Disaster Response Committee has been working to build connections with the Red Cross, other state psychological associations, and disaster response organizations in Iowa to assist in offering ways for IPA members to become involved in disaster response efforts.

The Diversity and Social Justice Committee has continued to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment in IPA with discussions to promote reflection related to equity, diversity, and inclusion; Diversity Spotlights regarding various cultural, national, and religious holidays and observances; and solicitation of member Diversity Profiles. They recently guided discussions regarding the film “13th” and the book Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park.

Under leadership of Dr. Maggie Doyle, the Early Career Psychologist (ECP) Committee hosted a panel for students to learn about the internship and postdoc process, which the committee hopes to offer annually. They also hosted an ECP social in Ankeny. The Membership Committee, under leadership of co-chairs Dr. Alissa Doobay and myself, hosted an all-member social at the Spring Conference in which they welcomed members to bring nonmembers who may be interested in joining IPA. This event was well attended and highly enjoyable, with images (kindly provided by IPA member Sam Battaglieri) available for view on the IPA closed Facebook group.

The Psychopharmacology Committee, chaired by Dr. Bethe Lonning, announced and congratulated Iowa’s fourth conditional prescribing psychologist and IPA member, Dr. Scott Young. This committee continues to support IPA members in their pursuit of prescription privileges through advocacy, education, and support.

The Website, E-communications, and Blog (WEB) Committee, co-chaired by Executive Director Suzanne Hull and Dr. Katie Kopp, maintains optimal functioning of the IPA website. They have made efforts to improve website accessibility to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Additionally, they recently made the IPA Blog publicly available to increase ease of access and to allow nonmembers to learn about benefits and activities of the association.

Advocacy

As the IPA Representative to APA’s Council of Representatives, Dr. Sally Oakes Edman prepared comments that were approved by EC vote to be submitted on behalf of IPA to the APA Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The comments requested that the CoA utilize titles that clearly distinguish doctoral and master’s level health service providers. Additionally, IPA requested that accreditation site visitors continue to be trained at the doctoral level.

Our Director of Professional Affairs, Dr. Bethe Lonning, has consistently responded to requests from IPA members regarding practice, insurance, and credentialing concerns. Examples of recent DPA efforts include helping an IPA member resume participation on an insurance panel following an unexpected change in their provider panel, helping prescribing psychologists receive credentialing and reimbursement from an insurance company, and helping an IPA member resolve an attempted recoupment of payments from over two years ago. Notably, a law was subsequently passed that prohibits recoupment from Medicaid for payments for claims from over two years prior.

The Diversity and Social Justice Committee provided information to IPA members regarding the effects of legislative/legal decisions on psychological well-being, specifically regarding Iowa HF 2416, the ban on transgender girls and women playing in sports, and the recent Supreme Court of the United States decision to overturn Roe v Wade.

Our State Advocacy Coordinator, Dr. Paul Ascheman, collaborated with the Advocacy Team and provided testimony to Iowa House and Senate subcommittees regarding SF2015, which addressed appropriate cognitive screenings for occupational therapists to utilize, as well as HF2042 and SSB3054 regarding psychological test disclosures. Dr. Ascheman also strategized with other IPA Advocacy Team members to present testimony before subcommittees regarding HSB517 addressing the inclusion of neuropsychologists as concussion professionals; HF2017 addressing provisional psychologist licensing; and HF2137 and SSB3003 addressing inclusion of psychologists in prescribing mental health provider loan repayment.

Our Federal Advocacy Coordinator, Dr. JoAnna Romero Cartaya, sent a message to the Elist requesting members to attend the APA Federal Quarterly Summit on Sunday July 24th and Monday July 25th) with the topic: Addressing the Impact of Climate Change and Health Equity. She routinely sends APA advocacy communications and action alerts to the Elist.

Financial Stability

The association has developed a strong financial foundation under the guidance of our Treasurers and the Finance Committee over the past several years. Due to this stability, the Finance Committee, under leadership of the IPA Treasurer Dr. Sarah Fetter, was able to consider requests for additional budget items for IPA committees. They created a proposal that Executive Council approved in June, which will provide signage and supplies to the State Advocacy Coordinator for advocacy events, support costs of becoming prescribing psychologists for up to three IPA members, continue sponsoring the first year of membership for students, and repay the IPA investment account.

The Membership Committee has continued to exceed budget expectations for membership income with recruitment meetings, letters, and emails; renewal outreach; enhancement of member benefits; and strong student sponsorship and mentorship programs. Membership numbers continue to grow and maintain IPA as a high performer in percentage of state-residing psychologists who are members of their state association.

The above efforts truly represent only a snapshot of the activities of IPA. This association relies on each member’s contributions of time, energy, engagement, and financial resources. A great thank you to our association’s leaders as well as each individual member as we work to fulfill the themes of the IPA Strategic Plan. We function astoundingly well as an aggregate of 279 amazing psychologists, students, and psychology associates and I am looking forward to our continued efforts, growth, and collective accomplishments.

As I reflect on the first three months of my Presidential year for IPA, I could not be more impressed by the energy and growth I have observed among our members and leaders. This association’s Executive Council Members, Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs, Committee Members, and Liaisons commit countless hours of volunteered time to IPA in addition to their active work and home lives. Additionally, IPA is fortunate to have devoted individuals serving in contracted positions (i.e., Executive Director, Director of Professional Affairs, Lobbyist, Training Director, Bookkeeper) who consistently exceed expectations in fulfilling their responsibilities to serve IPA members and to support the Executive Council. I appreciate this opportunity to highlight only a few of the many initiatives and accomplishments of these outstanding psychologists and professionals.

IPA’s Executive Council (EC) consists of 12 members who conduct the foundational business of the association through six Council meetings per year and numerous additional communications. I have been honored and grateful to serve with this group of thoughtful and committed psychologists whose overarching goal is to promote the needs and desires of membership and, ultimately, the individuals we serve. Each EC member dedicates seemingly tireless energy to their efforts to ensure IPA is serving its membership as effectively as possible. This amazing group of individuals deserves a wealth of gratitude for their volunteered time and leadership.

Although I could write for days about the various accomplishments of EC members, I will highlight only a few of their activities in this update. Over the past several years, in addition to their leadership responsibilities the Presidential Triad has been tasked with co-chairing the Program Planning Committee and organizing the Spring and Fall Conferences. Our Past President, Dr. Valerie Keffala, and President Elect, Dr. Nicole Holmberg, have spent hours of their time discussing possible themes, locations, and speakers for the Fall 2022 Conference and contacting possible speakers for an event that will focus on psychological concepts addressing evidence-based client care and provider self-care. In addition to this work, they have provided crucial support to the role of President in a multitude of ways, implementing a model of leadership initiated several Presidential Triads prior that has made this role sustainable and highly rewarding. I am immensely grateful for their wisdom and talents.

Serving as IPA Representatives to the EC, Dr. Scott Young and Dr. Katie Kopp work for members by sitting on committees within the association and bringing member concerns and feedback to the Executive Council. They have been active contributors in EC meetings and take seriously the importance of giving voice to IPA members.

As the IPA Representative to APA’s Council of Representatives (COR), Dr. Sally Oakes Edman is currently serving her sixth and final year before the Council’s bylaws require a change of the individual filling this position. She has spent a wealth of time contributing to the APA COR, including in-person and virtual meetings in which she has learned about and debated various regulatory considerations of the Council. She has also provided clear and helpful updates to our membership to inform our votes. Her service to the field of psychology and to IPA through this role has been much appreciated.

As our current IPA Student Representative/APAGS member, Eric Field has brought a high level of enthusiasm to EC and to additional committees where he is devoting his time. His efforts to keep students engaged in the association and to give them voice on EC are highly valued.

Serving as the Diversity Liaison to EC, Dr. Joyce Goins-Fernandez fulfills a crucial role in the association. She has made strong and specific efforts to bring attention to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion on the Executive Council. Her ability to advocate for groups who have historically been marginalized, underserved, and oppressed is admirable and central to this organization.

As the EC Secretary, Dr. Laura Fuller serves in a role that may be the most difficult to fulfill during EC meetings. She takes detailed minutes, counts each vote carefully, and somehow manages to add wisdom in her comments and questions during meetings and to participate thoughtfully when she votes. We are extremely fortunate that she volunteered to step into this role partway through the Secretarial term.

Serving as the new Treasurer, Dr. Sarah Fetter joined EC with a great degree of enthusiasm and background to continue several years of financial growth IPA has been fortunate to experience. She has demonstrated a high degree of creativity in considering ways to turn the association’s financial stability into broad-reaching initiatives that may further promote IPAs overarching Strategic Plan.

In his role as the State Advocacy Coordinator, Dr. Paul Ascheman has dedicated countless hours of phone calls, emails, and letter-writing during the Legislative Session in support of IPA’s State Advocacy Agenda. As detailed below regarding the Advocacy Team, he has been a successful advocate for a number of bills relevant to the practice of psychology in Iowa. His expertise in the legislative process provides immense value to our members.

As the Federal Advocacy Coordinator, Dr. JoAnna Romero Cartaya has diligently tracked federal legislation affecting psychologists and the individuals seeking our services. She recently demonstrated her expertise and refined advocacy skills during Hill visits with legislative assistants for Iowa’s US Senators and Representatives, as detailed below regarding the Advocacy Team. Her knowledge of the history of bills supported by these members of Congress for Iowa psychologists was thorough and highly beneficial in her advocacy for current legislative requests.

As the IPA Training Director, Dr. Matthew Cooper assists in maintaining and initiating quality placements for psychologists-in-training we hope to retain as Iowa psychologists. His recent advocacy efforts are detailed below regarding the Training Task Force.

Dr. Bethe Lonning is expertly serving in the second year of the newly established IPA role of Director of Professional Affairs. Without her dedicated time to advocating with insurance companies and other entities, many individual psychologists would be struggling to withstand and counter the ever-changing reimbursement policies that sometimes leave psychologists without pay for services already rendered.

As IPA Liaisons, Dr. Paul Ascheman and Dr. David Beeman actively participate and report to members regarding activities of the Iowa Board of Psychology and the Medical Assistance Advisory Council, respectively. These IPA members serve in crucial roles to serve IPA’s mission and to implement IPA’s Strategic Plan. Training, professional issues, and connecting with external entities are core to the functioning of the association.

Our fabulous Executive Director, Suzanne Hull, offers a variety of abilities ranging from Website designer to Strategic Plan informer, in addition to ensuring we do not miss the details needed to successfully complete each contract and event. She recently and successfully initiated a process to seek new sponsorships for conferences.

Our Bookkeeper, Sonja Pfab, ensures detailed attention to the incoming and outgoing funds for the organization. Her consistency has served well in our overall strategy for financial oversight.

Our Lobbyist, Amy Campbell, has been instrumental in supporting our efforts at the state level as detailed below regarding the Advocacy Team. Her Legislative News updates keep IPA Members thoroughly informed of outcomes of the state legislative efforts.

In addition to these specific roles, various groups in IPA have been active and productive in their efforts to promote the mission of IPA. I recently asked each group to highlight a recent accomplishment to be recognized at the Spring Conference. In the spirit of recognition, historical documentation, and hopefully motivating interest and engagement from our membership, I am including these accomplishments in this update, as well.

The Advocacy Team recently coordinated Hill visits with Iowa’s Congress members to advocate for appropriations for educational grants, reimbursement of psychology trainees’ services under Medicare, and oversight and penalties for violation of parity law. At the state level, the team has successfully opposed a House bill that would have required psychologists to turn over tests, manuals, and scoring materials to attorneys and they advocated for a state bill that would allow psychology interns to be issued provisional licenses.

The newly developed Disaster Response Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Ashley Freeman as the Chair, recently completed an ambitious and exciting committee Strategic Plan Worksheet that has been added to the current IPA Strategic Plan.

The Diversity and Social Justice Committee, with leadership of Co-Chairs Dr. Joyce Goins-Fernandez and Dr. Nicole Holmberg, has routinely posted Diversity Spotlights to the E-list to provide IPA members information regarding days of celebration or recognition and events involving issues of social justice. Additionally, they have successfully gained interest from members representing various aspects of diversity, including six student committee members.

Recently revived in 2022 with a new Chair, Dr. Marla Shapiro, the Ethics Committee met to discuss their role and priorities, provided initial recommendations to the program planning committee, and identified additional items they hope to accomplish moving forward. I am excited for various projects they intend to pursue.

The Early Career Psychologists (ECP) Committee, under leadership of their Chair, Dr. Maggie Doyle, has worked to engage and maintain interest of ECPs in the organization. The ECP Committee recently accepted nominations and awarded scholarships to three IPA Members. They have also scheduled a panel in April for student members to learn about the internship process.

Thanks to successful efforts by the Finance Committee and our dedicated Treasurers over the past few years, IPA has gained increasing financial stability. Under the guidance of our current Treasurer, Dr. Sarah Fetter, the Finance Committee is accepting proposals from IPA committees and work groups regarding ways IPA’s funds could be reinvested to promote creative programs, activities, or events in support of IPA’s Strategic Plan. As part of the efforts in financial stability and oversight, our 2020 IPA President, Dr. Benge Tallman, our immediate Past President, Dr. Valerie Keffala, our prior Treasurer, Dr. Jennifer Kauder, and our current Treasurer, Dr. Sarah Fetter contributed to a request that ultimately secured a Small State Operational Grant (SSOG) from APA services in the amount of $10,000 to help fund our lobbyist services. The grant, which we are receiving for the fifth consecutive year, will be applied toward offsetting the lobbyist expense to help support IPA’s 2022 legislative agenda. The SSOG program is administered by the APA Practice Directorate and the Committee for State Leaders (CSL). This year they received 23 applications requesting a total greater than the amount of funds available. CSL weighed important factors such as each state’s grant history and financial status to ensure that funding was distributed fairly. The association is grateful for the ongoing support we receive from APA and the time our leaders gave to secure these funds. 

The Membership Committee, Co-Chaired by Dr. Alissa Doobay and myself, has continued to increase membership across membership categories through innovative efforts that have included the development of student mentorship and sponsorship programs, direct outreach to prospective members, and a streamlined membership renewal processes.

The Policies and Procedures Workgroup has been investing countless hours, including a day-long retreat, into clarifying expectations and procedures for the organization and those in leadership. While the rewriting and updating of the Bylaws and Policies and Procedures Manual easily flies under the radar of general membership, this effort is crucial to maintaining appropriate continuity and growth for various committees and roles within the organization. This continuity prevents time unnecessarily spent developing or revisiting initiatives or processes that have already been shown ineffective or that were unfortunately lost with the discontinued service of past leaders. The maintenance of updated documents facilitates continued expansion of the association’s efforts.

The Program Planning Committee, Co-Chaired by the Presidential Triad, has been increasing diversity among invited presenters and improving equity in presenter fees while providing members with high-quality training. I could not be more excited for the upcoming training with Dr. Eli Lebowitz regarding Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) at our Spring Conference, a variety of salon trainings arranged by our members, and the Fall Conference that aims to provide much needed attention to the mental health needs of our clients and of ourselves as mental health providers.

With immense support from the Psychopharmacology Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Bethe Lonning as their Chair, Iowa now has 3 conditional prescribing psychologists and 3 more in the supervised portion of their training. These ambitious psychologists are paving the way for a future of improved access to prescribing psychologists in the state.

The Public Education Committee, currently Co-Chaired by Dr. Warren Phillips and Dr. Valerie Keffala, created a podcast last year for IPA to share psychological information with the public. More recently, they have been discussing ways of renewing their committee by integrating and collaborating their work with multiple other IPA committees including ethics, DSJ, and advocacy.

The Strategic Plan Committee, Co-Chaired by Dr. Nicole Holmberg and Dr. Valerie Keffala, worked with other standing committees to successfully implement the first year of the current strategic plan. During a day-long retreat, multiple meetings, and hours spent by each committee member in reviewing the committee Strategic Plan Worksheets, this committee provided individualized feedback to each Committee to assist with advancing the overarching Strategic Plan and to promote increased Committee collaborations.

Our Training Director and leader of the Training Task Force, Dr. Matthew Cooper, has been actively involved in advocacy efforts for a predoctoral internship bill. Once passed and signed, this bill would open the door for a number of entities in Iowa that are wanting to create predoctoral internships, thereby advancing the IPA training program further.

For improved accessibility, under the guidance of Co-Chairs Suzanne Hull and Dr. Katie Kopp, the Website, E-Communications, and Blog (WEB) Committee has added alternate text to website images and they have initiated a feature in which IPA Zoom meeting participants are now able to access a live transcript.

I am hoping that this Presidential Update will inspire an increase of IPA members who join and thereby strengthen the ongoing efforts of IPA leadership. Additionally, this update serves to communicate immense gratitude to the individuals, listed below, who form the foundation and carry out the functions of this strong organization. I am routinely impressed and inspired by their ambitious work. You may notice many names show up across several committees or groups on the list. IPA only stands to benefit from an increase in the number of names and an increased diversification of the representation of membership within our already strong and effective leadership.

Thank you all for your membership in IPA. I am grateful and humbled by the skills, wisdom, and passion of our membership. I look forward to the opportunity to continue serving in this role and I welcome continued engagement regarding our efforts to serve IPA.

——-

Executive Council

Nicole Keedy, Ph.D., IPA President

Nicole Holmberg, Ph.D., IPA President-Elect

Valerie Keffala, Ph.D., ABPP, IPA Past President

Scott Young, Ph.D., MSCP, IPA Representative

Katie Kopp, Ph.D., IPA Representative

Sally Oakes Edman, Ph.D., APA Representative

Eric Field, APAGS Representative

Joyce Goins-Fernandez, Ph.D., IPA Diversity Liaison

Laura Fuller, Ph.D., ABPP, IPA Secretary

Sarah Fetter, Ph.D., IPA Treasurer

Paul Ascheman, Ph.D., State Advocacy Coordinator

JoAnna Romero Cartaya, Ph.D., Federal Advocacy Coordinator

—–

Additional EC participants

All IPA Committee Chairs

Matt Cooper, Psy.D., MSCP, IPA Training Director

Suzanne Hull, Executive Director

Bethe Lonning, Psy.D., MSCP, Director of Professional Affairs

Active IPA Liaisons

Paul Ascheman, Ph.D. – Iowa Board of Psychology

David Beeman, Ph.D. – Medical Assistance Advisory Council

—–

Advocacy Team
Paul Ascheman, Ph.D.

Amy Campbell, IPA Lobbyist

Matt Cooper, Psy.D., MSCP

Nicole Holmberg, Ph.D.

Nicole Keedy, Ph.D.

Valerie Keffala, Ph.D., ABPP

Bethe Lonning, Psy.D., MSCP

Warren Phillips, Ph.D.

JoAnna Romero Cartaya, Ph.D.

Marla Shapiro, Ph.D. 

—–

Disaster Response

Chair: Ashley Freeman, Ph.D.

Committee Members:

Sarah Fetter, Ph.D.

Valerie Keffala, Ph.D., ABPP

Marla Shapiro, Ph.D.

Benge Tallman, Ph.D.

Emily Thomas, Ph.D.

—–

Diversity and Social Justice
Co-Chairs: Joyce Goins-Fernandez, Ph.D. and Nicole Holmberg, Ph.D.

Committee Members:

Pamela Bozec – Student Member

Angelica Castro Bueno – Student Member

Alejanda Castillo -Student Member

Sarah Fetter, Ph.D.

Gennifer Humphreys – Student Member

Valerie Keffala, Ph.D., ABPP

Lily Mathison, Ph.D.

Jessica Miller-Lange, Psy.D.

Amber Rissman – Student Member

Dana Shapiro – Student Member

Marla Shapiro, Ph.D.

—–

Early Career Psychologists
Chair: Maggie Doyle. Psy.D.

Committee Members:

Danah Barazanji, Ph.D.

Isaac Hooley, Ph.D.

Ashley Freeman, Ph.D.

Mark Poeppe, Ph.D.

Ancillary Committee Participants:

David Paul, Psy.D.

Lily Mathison, Ph.D.

Jessica Miller-Lange, Psy.D.

—–

Ethics
Chair: Marla Shapiro, Ph.D.

Committee Members:

Joel Ashby, Psy.D.

Joel Greenberg, Psy.D.

Stacey Pawlak, Ph.D.

Dana Shapiro – Student Member

Benge Tallman, Ph.D.

Scott Young, Ph.D., MSCP

Ancillary Members:

Eric Field – Student Member

David Paul, Psy.D.

Sarah Tartar, Ph.D.

—–

Finance Committee

Chair: Sarah Fetter, Ph.D.

Committee Members:

Dan Courtney, Ph.D.

Nicole Holmberg, Ph.D.

Suzanne Hull, Executive Director

Jennifer Kauder, Ph.D.

Valerie Keffala, Ph.D., ABPP

Nicole Keedy, Ph.D.

Mark Poeppe, Psy.D.

Benge Tallman, Ph.D.

—–

Membership
Co-Chairs: Nicole Keedy, Ph.D. and Alissa Doobay, Ph.D.

Committee Members:

Jenna Paternostro, Ph.D.

Eric Field – Student Member

Angelica Castro Bueno – Student Liaison to DSJ Committee

Suzanne Hull, Executive Director

Ancillary Committee Participants (have recently assisted with writing tasks, warm outreach, etc.):

Ashley Freeman, Ph.D.

Laura Fuller, Ph.D., ABPP

Lauren Garvin, Ph.D.

Jody Jones, Ph.D.

Stacey Pawlak, Ph.D.

Warren Phillips, Ph.D.

Lauren Welter, Ph.D.

—–

Policies and Procedures Workgroup

Workgroup Members:

Alissa Doobay, Ph.D.

Nicole Holmberg, Ph.D.

Nicole Keedy, Ph.D.

Valerie Keffala, Ph.D., ABPP

Ancillary Member:

Ashley Freeman, Ph.D.

—–

Program Planning Committee

Co-Chairs: Nicole Keedy, Ph.D., Valerie Keffala, Ph.D., ABPP, Nicole Holmberg, Ph.D.

Committee Members:

Joyce Goins-Fernandez, Ph.D.

Sarah Fetter, Ph.D.

Kevin Krumvieda, Ph.D., IPF liaison

—–

Psychopharmacology
Chair: Elizabeth Lonning, Psy.D., MSCP

Committee Members:

Brenda Payne, Ph.D., MSCP

Katie Kopp, Ph.D.

Scott Young, Ph.D., MSCP

Ashley Norwood-Strickland, Ph.D.

Mariana Pacheco – Student Member

—–

Public Education
Co-Chairs: Valerie Keffala, Ph.D., ABPP and Warren Phillips, Ph.D

Committee Member:

Sierra Lauber – Student Member

—–

Strategic Planning Committee

Co-Chairs: Valerie Keffala, Ph.D., ABPP and Nicole Holmberg, Ph.D.

Committee Members:

Alissa Doobay, Ph.D.

Benge Tallman, Ph.D.

Nicole Keedy, Ph.D.

Ancillary Member:

Ashley Freeman, Ph.D.

—–

Training Task Force

Task Force Members:

Paul Ascheman, Ph.D.

Matt Cooper, Psy.D., MSCP

Kayla Davidson, Psy.D.

Sam Graham, Ph.D.

Brenda Payne, Ph.D., MSCP

Marla Shapiro, Ph.D.

—–

WEB (Website, E-Communications, and Blog)

Co-Chairs: Suzanne Hull, Executive Director and Katie Kopp, Ph.D.

Committee Members:

Nicole Keedy, Ph.D.

Dear IPA Members,

I hope you each are enjoying the last days of 2021 and hoping that 2022 is a safe and happy one for you, bringing you many blessings and much joy.

In preparing for my last Presidential Blog, I have spent some time thinking about the past year and looking forward to new adventures and initiatives in the new year. 

An historic event occurred for IPA this past year when we elected Dr. Nicole Holmberg as our 2022 President Elect, resulting in what will be the first all women Presidential Triad in the history of IPA! Looking forward, 2022 looks to be an amazing year with the continuation of many initiative started this past year, and many more new initiatives on board for next year!

In looking back, 2021 was a very busy year with lots of learning and growing within IPA. I estimate IPA held an average of 4.5 zoom meetings per week, including committee and leadership meetings, conferences and learning opportunities, legislative events, townhalls, and social hours. Over this past year, we have continued to adapt very well to the challenges COVID has presented. Using online platforms, we have increased our ability to interact with each other, presenting more opportunities for growth and involvement within IPA, increasing outreach to members and non-members across the state.  

We have had multiple opportunities for IPA sponsored trainings throughout the year on a wide variety of topics including trauma, pain, diversity, working with individuals from agricultural communities, CMS, psychopharmacology, ethics, and legal issues relating to practice. Next year we will add to our broad range of training opportunities by offering several trainings focusing on parenting and children. 

This was the inaugural year for our IPA Director of Professional Affairs (DPA) position. Dr. Bethe Lonning, our first DPA, has been a tremendous help to IPA members. Dr. Lonning, Dr. JoAnna Romero Cartaya, Dr. Paul Ascheman, Dr. Matt Cooper, and IPA lobbyist Amy Campbell,  comprise our Advocacy Team. They all have continued to help keep us informed of larger national and state issues that impact IPA, and continue to advocate for IPA at the state and national level. There have been many challenges and opportunities this past year they have helped IPA navigate. 

This was also the inaugural year for our first elected Diversity Liaison (DL). Dr. Joy Goins-Fernandez has done a fabulous job serving IPA in that role, first as our interim DL, and this year in her first year as our elected DL. She has brought increased awareness of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice (DEISJ) issues as they impact IPA members and the people with whom we work. This past year training was offered on awareness of implicit bias to all members. As part of our inaugural initiative to hold yearly DEISJ this training was offered free to all members.  On January 14, 2022, training will be offered on clinical competencies in working with LGBTQ+ populations. All EC members are required to attend this training, which will be offered to them free of charge. All IPA members are strongly encouraged to attend this training. 

This year we finalized and began to implement our IPA’s Strategic Plan, under the excellent leadership of, Dr. Benjamin Tallman, the chair of the Strategic Plan committee and 2021 Past President. The Strategic Plan has helped IPA achieve more transparency and clarity for IPA leaders and members, guiding IPA as we work toward goals and initiatives that keep IPA growing healthy and strong. 

Speaking of growth, this year our member numbers increased by 41 members! We now have a total of 284 IPA members. Much of our success in increasing student membership this past year has been due to our new program sponsoring student members. Membership committee co-chairs Dr. Alissa Doobay and Dr. Nicole Keedy (our 2022 IPA President!) came up with the wonderful idea of having IPA members volunteer to cover the cost of a year-long membership for a student ($50), and our new mentoring program, matching current full members with student members. If you are interested in sponsoring or mentoring a student member please reach out to Dr. Doobay or Dr. Keedy.

Like you, I could continue to name the many successes IPA has experienced this past year! It has been such a full and amazing year!!

As the year comes to a close, I look back on my year as IPA President with gratitude. My path was made much easier by the support provided by so many of you. In particular, I simply can’t express how much the support of my fellow Presidential Triad members has meant to me.  

I am so thankful for Dr. Benjamin Tallman, our Past President. He provided much needed guidance in times of doubt. His many years of experience were invaluable to me as I tried to follow in his footsteps. His long history within the leadership of IPA is taking a hiatus next year, but all he has done over his past 10 years in leadership will have a positive impact on IPA for many years to come. 

I am also so thankful to Dr. Warren Phillips and Dr. Nicole Keedy, whose wisdom guided me as I attempted to navigate in my leadership roles over the past 2 years. Their perspectives and insights were always so helpful. 

I am grateful to Ms. Suzanne Hull, our ever constant and unshakeable Executive Director, who kindly and expertly helped me find my way through the many administrative duties entailed my Presidential role. 

Many thanks, as well, to the Executive Council members who helped provide guidance during our EC meetings, particularly in navigating Robert’s Rules!! This small group of committed leaders are the movers and shakers of IPA. Executive Council members vote on initiatives, pass IPA bylaws and procedure manual changes, and work hard to support and represent IPA members. Members of the Executive Council reach out in a variety of ways to connect with APA and with the 59 other State, Provincial, or Territorial Associations (SPTAs) of APA; both to represent IPA and to explore ways IPA can grow. The Executive Council is comprised of an amazing group of people serving IPA. I humbled to have been chosen to lead this group as our President over the past year. 

Last, but not least, I extend my gratitude to all of the members of IPA. Without you we could not exist. It is your dedication and commitment to psychology that makes this all possible. 

I look forward to continuing my role in leadership next year, as Past President. Dr. Tallman and Dr. Phillips have been amazing mentors to me as I have watched them lean into this role!

A hearty congratulations to Dr. Nicole Keedy, who will do an amazing job as IPA President, and a warm welcome to Dr. Nicole Holmberg, who is going to be a fabulous President Elect! I look forward to working together with them in the 2022 Presidential Triad, along with all of the other IPA leadership and members! 

A heartfelt wish to you all for a happy and healthy New Year! 

What a glorious beginning to another fall season in Iowa! As a transplant to Iowa from California, I never tire of leaves changing, the weather turning colder, a new school year underway, and the football games, homecoming parades, and community events that are come to life in the college community where I live.

Fall is the time of national and state elections that determine much of what will come in the years ahead. The same is true for IPA! I am excited at the beginning of this fall season to have our IPA elections completed and look forward to some new faces on the IPA Executive Council. 

For the first time in the nearly 75-year history of IPA, the 2022 presidential triad will be comprised of all women! Dr. Nicole Keedy will be our new president, Dr. Nicole Holmberg will be our new president-elect, and I will move into the role of past-president. Though both men and women in IPA have been amazing presidential leaders, this upcoming year reflects the changing face of psychology over time. It is my hope that as an organization we continue to reflect changes in the larger community, inviting more diversity by creating more opportunities for leadership for psychologists in IPA and in the state of Iowa. 

IPA has grown, both in membership and in engagement, at the local, state, and national level. IPA has done a superb job supporting psychologists in Iowa by offering multiple training and CEU opportunities, by offering mentoring to students and new professionals, and by developing opportunities for early, mid, and later career psychologists to make a home in Iowa. We have made every effort to invite psychologists to both train AND remain in the state of Iowa, growing the profession of psychology in the state where Fields of Opportunities is our slogan!

Before running for president-elect 2 years ago, I had volunteered in IPA in a variety of ways over the years. IPA has evolved as we, and those with whom we work, have met multiple challenges. As an organization we have met the challenge of serving others through the insidious advance of COVID-19 (including the new Delta variant) that has ravaged our communities and families, the attempts by insurance companies to undermine payment for our services, the destruction of homes and offices of many during the derecho and flooding in various parts of the state, and many other economic, health, and safety challenges. Through it all, psychologists in the state of Iowa have continued to provide excellent care of patients, fabulous teaching in our universities and colleges, and have provided leadership in a variety of ways and in many roles. Even in the midst of all of these challenges, IPA is succeeding!

One of the ways IPA leadership has continued to thrive has been to maintain a commitment to change and grow. Towards this end, it has been one of my goals as president to have IPA revise the By-Laws and Policy and Procedures Manuals. These out-of-date documents have become unhelpful as individuals on the Executive Council tried to understand their roles and responsibilities to the organization. Earlier this year, I appointed IPA past-president Dr. Benjamin Tallman to lead this important and colossal effort as chair of the committee charged with the task to evaluate, update, and re-write these important documents needed for the proper running of our organization. 

Dr. Tallman has successfully leading this committee to examine every position in IPA leadership, every committee, and every contractor who works for IPA. We are reviewing every process and procedure with the hope of clarifying, defining, and providing guidance to others who will follow in these roles in the future. We meet as a group twice per month to work on creating a new and user-friendly document that will be easier to revise as roles grow and change. We want to provide both transparency and clarity for our future IPA leaders. With the help of leaders currently in these positions we have successfully started this process, though the task continues to grow as we recognize the many gaps in our current manuals. We hope to be done with this task in the next 12-24 months!

Please let me clarify that being involved in IPA leadership is more than just commitment and facing challenges. It also a source of friendship, collegiality, synergism, affinity, much joy and laughter, and sometimes wonderful shared meals! Though I spend hours in IPA meetings every month, I leave each one with a sense of wellbeing and greater purpose; a sense of being part of something bigger than myself. 

So, though being involved in IPA leadership is time consuming, it’s also lots of fun! Here is a photo from a recent IPA working retreat we had on my family farm. (Yes, a former southern California gal who had wanted to be a marine biologist now lives on a farm in a state with no ocean in site!) 

 IPA leadership is committed to doing our best and to lead with excellence, AND we also have a lot of fun! I encourage you to become involved! You belong here, make yourself at home! IPA wouldn’t survive with you!