SAVE THE DATE FOR LPA’S ANNUAL SPRING CONFERENCE
April 10-11 at the University Medical Center
New Orleans, Louisiana
LPA is thrilled to announce our 2026 Spring Conference Keynote Speakers!
Antonio E. Puente, PhD and Dimitrios Tsatiris, MD
Friday, April 10 – Professional Psychology inside a Turbulent World
Keynote Speaker: Antonio E. Puente, PhD
We are honored to announce Antonio E. Puente, PhD as our Friday keynote speaker!
Dr. Puente was born in La Habana, Cuba, and emigrated to the United States in 1960. He earned his PhD from the University of Georgia and has taught at the University of North Carolina Wilmington since 1981, where he is a Professor of Psychology and the founding director of UNCW’s Centro Hispano. His teaching and scholarship focus on brain and behavior, clinical neuropsychology, and the history of psychology, with particular emphasis on the intersection of culture and neuropsychology.
A prolific scholar and leader in the field, Dr. Puente has authored 10 books, more than 90 book chapters, and over 120 scientific articles. He founded and edited Neuropsychology Review and the Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, as well as a major neuropsychology book series. In addition to his academic work, he maintains a private clinical neuropsychology practice and co-directs mental health services at the Cape Fear Clinic, a bilingual, multidisciplinary health center serving underserved communities.
Dr. Puente has held numerous national leadership roles, including President of the American Psychological Association, and has served as president of multiple APA divisions and professional organizations. He also spent more than two decades advising the American Medical Association on Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), including eight years as a member of the AMA CPT Panel.
Dr. Puente will speak about Professional Psychology inside a Turbulent World.
In today’s turbulent socio-historical, political, and economic climate, the practice of psychology has become increasingly complex and unpredictable. This keynote will examine the major forces shaping the profession, dissecting their impact on process, policy, and outcomes. Dr. Puente will outline practical professional and personal responses to these challenges while highlighting opportunities for resilience, adaptation, and growth within psychology.
We are excited to welcome Dr. Puente and look forward to this timely and thought-provoking keynote presentation.
Saturday, April 11 – Why is Happiness so Elusive?
Keynote Speaker: Dimitrios Tsatiris M.D.
LPA is also excited to announce our Saturday keynotes speaker, Dimitrios Tsatiris M.D.
Dr. Tsatiris is a practicing board-certified psychiatrist, book author, TEDx speaker and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Northeast Ohio Medical University. He studies and writes about the interface of mental health and achievement. His work has appeared in numerous outlets, including Psychology Today, Doximity, Health.com, The White Coat Investor, Thrive Global and NAMI among others. He is passionate about empowering people to live a fulfilling life by developing a healthy relationship with achievement. Through his work as a psychiatrist, writer and speaker, he seeks to fulfill this mission.
Dr. Tsatiris will speak about Why is Happiness so Elusive?
We live in a digital society obsessed with the pursuit of more. There is relentless pressure to do and become more. The prevailing message is that accumulating more wealth, status, power and stuff is the path to happiness. As a result, we blindly follow this socially-prescribed path assuming it leads to an increased level of happiness and well-being. Do these pursuits actually lead to happiness or do they make happiness more elusive? What is even happiness and how do we find it?
This evidence-based talk will integrate research from the fields of psychology, neuroscience, philosophy and social sciences to help you gain a deeper understanding of the concept of happiness. This presentation is filled with practical strategies of the body, mind and spirit to help you unlock more happiness in your daily life.
Regardless of where you stand in your personal and professional life, you will come out of this presentation with essential concepts and actionable insights that will be of great benefit to you and those around you.
2026 Annual Spring Conference
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
It is with great excitement that the Louisiana Psychological Association invites you to submit a proposal for this year’s
2026 Annual Spring Conference
Friday, April 10th and Saturday, April 11th
University Medical Center
New Orleans, LA
We invite clinicians, academicians, and researchers of all specialties to present a workshop, process group, or symposia session.
The submission deadline is February 1.
We are especially interested in topics related to: autism assessment, OCD, ethics/forensics, delivering care to under-resourced and historically excluded communities, and training future generations of scientist-practioners.
EXCITING NEWS! We are offering a $350 honorarium for each presentation at our upcoming Spring Conference, plus FREE conference attendance for all presenters!
SEEKING SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS
LPA currently seeks sponsors and exhibitors for our fall conference. If you know of an organization that may be interested in sponsoring or exhibiting, applications can be accessed through the LPA website under the CE tab or by clicking the links below.
For more info on Corporate Sponsorship, CLICK HERE.
For more info on Government/Non-Profit Exhibitors, CLICK HERE.
