Leading into the Future with SCCAP LEAD Institute

Leading into the Future with SCCAP LEAD Institute

By Erlanger “Earl” Turner, PhD
Chair, Leadership Education to Advance Diversity (LEAD) Institute

This year marked 5 years since SCCAP launched the Leadership Education to Advance Diversity (LEAD) Institute. To celebrate this milestone, LEAD collaborated with the Diversity Committee to host a thought-provoking fireside chat at the 2024 APA Convention in Seattle. The fireside chat entitled “LEADing us Forward”, focused on exploring valuable lessons learned through LEAD about professional and career development. The panel featured insights from distinguished LEAD fellows Dr. Tahlia Bragg (a 2021 fellow and Clinical neuropsychology postdoctoral associate at Boston University) and Dr. Jasmin Brooks Stephens (a 2023 fellow and postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School).

Since its inception in 2019, the LEAD Institute has made a significant impact, engaging over 100 SCCAP students and early career professionals (ECPs) over the past five years. LEAD fellows have explored a diverse range of topics including cultural competence, media psychology, salary negotiation, and leadership challenges. During the recent fireside chat, Drs. Tahlia Bragg and Jasmin Brooks Stephens reflected on how LEAD has been instrumental in advancing their careers and fostering valuable peer mentorship opportunities. This event, held at the APA Convention, has become a key platform for fellows to reconnect during the off years between institutes. Looking ahead, we are eager to continue this tradition, expand virtual opportunities to stay connected, and host the next LEAD Institute in 2025.

Call for Applications – 2025 LEAD Institute

We are thrilled to announce the application process to select the 4th LEAD cohort! The upcoming LEAD Institute will take place at the University of Illinois Chicago on June 5, 2025. Fellows will receive travel and housing accommodation, free CEUs, and registration for the SCCAP conference. To apply and learn more, please visit the SCCAP website at LEAD’s vision remains steadfast in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. I look forward to collaborating with the committee to design an engaging and impactful one-day conference that fosters learning and sense of community.

The 2025 LEAD Committee members are:

• Randi Cheatham-Johnson, PhD
• Trista Perez Crawford, PhD
• Lynda Gibson, PhD
• Melissa Hall, MA
• Khiela Holmes, PhD
• Joyce Lui, PhD
• Briana Williams, PhD

Co-chairs:

• Erlanger Turner, PhD
• Marilyn Sampilo, PhD, MPH