If you are interested in joining or hearing more about a committee, please email the committee chair by clicking on their name below.
Standing Committees:
Membership & Membership Services
Identifies persons qualified for membership in the Louisiana Psychological Association (LPA) and develops methods and procedures to encourage individuals to join and remain members of LPA. The committee is also responsible for developing letters, brochures, and other membership tools that can be used in recruitment and retention efforts. LPA’s interest groups also fall under the oversight of Membership & Membership Services.
Co-Chair: Kelley Pears, Ph.D.
Convention & Continuing Education
Responsible for the selection of annual convention speakers, organization of the convention format, scheduling of activities & accompanying events, and solicitation of sponsors and exhibitors for the event. The committee also manages the continuing education activities of LPA. These activities include the organization of intermediate or advanced level professional workshops, development of webinars, distribution of continuing professional development (CPD) credits, and reviewing evaluations.
Chair: Gail Gillespie, Ph.D.
Co-Chair: Sonia Blauvelt, Ph.D.
Legislative & Government Affairs
Keeps membership abreast of current trends in legislative actions that affect psychologists. The committee is responsible for reviewing and monitoring legislation introduced before the Louisiana legislature, interacting with legislators to explain the role and viewpoints of LA psychologists, appearing at committee hearings, and interceding with other professional organizations as necessary to explain the relationships of psychology and allied professions.
Chair: Jesse Lambert, Psy.D.
Co-Chairs: Gregory Gormanous, Ph.D. and Erin Reuther, Ph.D.
Communications
Responsible for gathering and distributing information to LPA members through various communication methods including website, listserv, and social media platforms. The committee assists with managing the content of the LPA website and is responsible for the construction and distribution of a quarterly newsletter.
Chair: Amy Henke, Psy.D.
Professional Affairs
Communicates state and national issues affecting the practice of psychology. The committee actively monitors the APA Committee for Executives of State and Provincial Psychological Associations (CESPPA) listserv and disseminates information to the LPA Executive Committee and members. Committee members serve as LPA’s liaison to the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (LSBEP) and attend open and long-range planning meetings. Additionally, members serve as representatives on LSBEP Task Forces.
Chairs: Kim VanGeffen, Ph.D.
Public Affairs & Services
Responsible for communicating the brand and contributions of psychology to the public through the press & public relations efforts. The committee also engages in public education and engages in various outreach activities. Members also engage membership to seek ways to use psychology to aid society in general. The public affairs committee also oversees the on goings of 3 subcommittees: Speakers Bureau, Diversity, and the Disaster Response Network.
Chairs: Sonia Blauvelt, Ph.D.
Other Committees:
Legal & Ethics
Assists members with legal and ethical issues by providing information from professional practice and ethics authorities, state statutes, and subject matter experts to recommend possible actions agreed upon by the committee. The committee accepts consultation requests through the LPA website and discusses relevant legal and ethical concerns, and provides the member with written feedback. The committee also provides education on legal and ethical issues to LPA, other professional organizations, and the public as needed and periodically shares non-identifiable, summarized reports of the committee’s activities to the Executive Council.
Chair: Jesse Lambert, Psy.D