Hello, Goodbye (Sort Of), and Thank You!

Transition on the APA Council of Representatives

When the SIOP Executive Board convenes at the JW Marriott Hotel in Austin, Texas at the end of this month, Gavan O’Shea, elected as one of SIOP’s four APA Council Representatives last June, will take over for departing representative Stephen Stark.

As Dr. Stark says farewell to his duties as an APA Council Representative, it’s not really “goodbye!” He remains actively involved in SIOP, currently serving on the Workshop, International Affairs, and External Relations Committees.

SIOP is grateful for his continuing work on behalf of the profession and the organization. President-Elect Georgia Chao, who served on the APA Council with him, said, “Steve was an invaluable colleague to work with on Council.  He was diplomatic and thoughtful to the nuances of APA governance and worked well with other members of Council to promote SIOP's interests.”

“Our APA representatives play a pivotal role in identifying and nominating SIOP members for APA committees, boards, and task forces, which examine issues and draft reports or motions that are sent to Council for approval,” Stark said. “And because our representation on Council and such committees depends on our number of active APA members, it behooves us to maintain an APA membership, volunteer, and accept invitations to serve whenever possible. It’s a lot of work, but it’s rewarding.

Dr. Stark said he enjoyed his service on the Council and learned a great deal about APA and SIOP governance and the issues of concern in many APA divisions. “The Council meetings and caucuses provide unique opportunities to meet professionals from all walks of psychology, to discuss ideas and the potential impacts of policies, and, ultimately, vote on matters that influence education, training, practice, and science advocacy.”

Gavan O’Shea counts service to SIOP as one of the most rewarding aspects of his career, which includes 14 years at HumRRO, and 5 years at American Institutes for Research. His most recent volunteer position with SIOP was a 4-year commitment to the Workshop Committee, serving first as a member, then Chair-in-Training and Chair. Enrollment has been trending upward over the years and crested at 351 registrants in 2019.

He has said one of the things he loved most about chairing the Workshop Committee was “the opportunity to build connections—among ideas, people, and organizations—as we created the sessions each year. I have always been interested in the connection between SIOP and APA, he continued, “and I’ve supported that connection by advocating for I-O psychology. I am very much looking forward to continuing my service to SIOP as a member of the terrific team that represents SIOP on the APA Council.”

His efforts to ensure that the voice of I-O psychologists are represented within APA advocacy include giving testimony on APA’s behalf to the U.S. Senate, arguing against proposed budget cuts negatively impacting the critical work of applied psychologists in federal labs, and hosting congressional visits to HumRRO’s office in support of APA’s “Stand for Science” initiative.

An independent organization with its own governance, SIOP also represents Division 14 of the American Psychological Association. Members can learn more about the role of SIOP’s APA Council Representatives here.

News items related to the APA are indexed under “Allied Organizations” on the SIOP website’s Items of Interest page.