Thema Bryant-Davis, professor of psychology and director of the Culture and Trauma Research Lab at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, has been voted president-elect of the American Psychological Association (APA), the leading scientific and professional organization.
The association has 122,000 members who are clinicians, consultants, educators, researchers, and students. As a nonprofit organization founded in 1892 and chartered in Washington, D.C., the APA strives to advance the creation, communication, and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve lives through its 54 psychology subfield divisions. With affiliations in 60 states, territories, and Canadian provincial associations. The association recently issued a lengthy apology for its past actions concerning African Americans and other racial and ethnic groups who were subjected to discrimination and racism. (See JBHE post.)
Dr. Bryant Davis is the youngest person to be elected president of the association and the fourth Black woman to hold the post.
“This historic vote means a lot to me as it is an endorsement of my platform, which centers around addressing trauma, loss, and inequities,” said Professor Bryant-Davis. “As a trauma psychologist, I felt this was the right time for me to lead as we seek to address both COVID-19 recovery and racism, as well as other forms of oppression.”
Dr. Bryant-Davis holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Duke University and a master of divinity degree from Pepperdine University.
