Vision as Division 45 APA Council Representative

Gordon C. Nagayama Hall

I have been a member of Division 45 since it was established in 1986. I served as Division 45 President from 1994-95 and as Editor of Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology from 2005-09. I recently retired from the University of Oregon after a career as a clinical psychologist and professor. 

As I indicated in my campaign statement, my vision as APA Council Representative includes: (a) diversifying the field; and (b) bringing attention and resources to mental health disparities. Since my term began in January, I have been involved in the following efforts to achieve this vision:

• Served as a member of the planning committee for the 2021 Division 45 Research Conference

• Wrote a statement to the National Science Foundation on behalf of Division 45 to address funding for diversity science and diversification of the scientific workforce

• Joined APA Presidential candidate Thema Bryant-Davis’ Dream Team

• Represented Division 45 at APA’s Stand for Science advocacy training and met with Oregon legislators’ staff to urge the legislators to support the Rise Act, which supports research and COVID-19 and research disrupted by COVID-19, and the Early Career Researchers Act

• Served on the APA Task Force on Strategies to Eradicate Racism Discrimination & Hate

• Arranged a meeting with National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins to address the invisibility of Asian Americans/Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders in NIH priorities

• Served on an APA Council workgroup on Policy to insure that the diversity impact statement for new business items for Council are reviewed by diversity experts, such as Division 45 and the ethnic minority psychological associations