Community Psychologist Practitioner Spotlight: Pamela Imm

“I frequently tell people that I have the best job in the world.  It is fun and provides interesting work that is rewarding on a lot of levels.  I enjoy telling people what I do for work although I find that I never answer that question in the same way.”

Name: Pamela Imm, Ph.D.
Title: Community Psychologist
Employer: Self Employed; has office at LRADAC
Affiliations:  American Evaluation Association, Society for Community Research and Action

Using Community Psychology to Help Communities Find Effective Solutions

---

Dr. Pamela Imm is a community psychologist practitioner who uses her skills in evaluation to help communities find solutions to large scale community issues.

She is affiliated with the Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council (LRADAC), a non-profit agency that provides prevention, intervention and treatment programs to South Carolina citizens. Through this agency, she works as an evaluator with four different community coalitions to help prevent risky behaviors among youth. Her role as an evaluator involves providing strategic direction and assessing the effectiveness of community-based programs. Dr. Imm is also self-employed and works with other coalitions around the country that address violence prevention, underage drinking and youth development and leadership programs. She is a big advocate of doing what works. She serves as a consultant and presents specific evidence-based strategies and programs for community groups and coalitions to consider.

Dr. Imm also conducts research and publishes with her colleagues. These publications include Using the Getting to Outcomes Approach to Help Communities Prevent Underage Drinking (2007) and The Premises is the Premise: Understanding Off-and-On Premises Alcohol Sales Outlets to Improve Environmental Alcohol Prevention Strategies (2011). She and her colleagues received the 2008 American Evaluation Association Award for Outstanding Publication for Getting to Outcomes: Methods and Tools for Self-Assessment and Accountability. A number of health agencies around the nation have adopted this model.

She has a strong interest in integrating research into practice. Her work is disseminated into the community and is available for organizations to use. She is also involved in providing training and technical assistance and continues to study best practices and strategies in providing technical assistance in community settings.

Dr. Imm possesses the necessary skills to work in a variety of settings as an evaluator, a consultant, a researcher and a grant writer. An understanding of how to apply key concepts in psychology (especially community psychology), is an important skill that Dr. Imm has gained through her graduate training and years of experience. She earned her Ph.D. in clinical-community psychology at the University of South Carolina. During graduate school, she gained community psychology practice experience by working on neighborhood projects with her mentors and research lab. The interdisciplinary nature of her graduate training provided mentors across disciplines such as public health. She also gained skills in developing and implementing applied practices that were contextually appropriate and empirically grounded.

As a community psychologist practitioner, Dr. Imm serves in various professional capacities that help to ensure strong, healthy communities. Her commitment to making a positive impact on both a local and national level is demonstrated by the practice of informing the community about what strategies work and how to implement them.


-------------
This profile was written by Kyrah Brown, from Wichita State University.  It is part of a series of community psychology practitioner profiles.  If you have a suggestion for future profiles, please email scraprofiles@gmail.com

Community Practitioner Spotlight: Adrienne Paine- Andrews

“The most critical skills [that I’ve gained] were..ensuring citizen involvement in identifying local issues and solutions and working together to implement them.”-Dr. Paine-Andrews

Name: Adrienne Paine-Andrews, Ph.D.
Title: Community Psychologist/Consultant
Employer: Self-Employed
Affiliations: Kansas Public Health Association, the Society for Public Health Education, the American Public Health Association, and the Society for Community Research and Action

Dr. Adrienne Paine-Andrews is a community psychology practitioner whose work involves promoting community health and development through systems level approaches.

She works primarily with health related foundations assisting with grant review processes, program planning, project management and organizational capacity building. Currently, her work focuses on promoting environmental and systems approaches to promote healthy eating and active living; and providing opportunities for organizational capacity building.

She earned her Ph.D. in Community Psychology from the University of Kansas. During her graduate training, emphasis was placed on understanding the importance of systems level approaches and citizen participation in community and organizational settings. Through her experience with the Work Group on Health Promotion and Community Development, she applied community psychology theories to community settings. These experiences ultimately provided a foundation for her current work.

Dr. Paine-Andrews’ background in community psychology theory and practice has helped guide her work. It has enabled her to help communities identify and implement effective solutions for improving health.  

Keywords: Community Health and Development, Consultation, 

------ 
This profile was written by Kyrah Brown, from Wichita State University.  It is part of a series of community psychology practitioner profiles.  If you have a suggestion for future profiles, please email ComPsychPractice@gmail.com 

Community Practitioner Spotlight: Eric P. Green

Name: Eric P. Green, Ph.D.
Titles: Research Associate and Adjunct Assistant Professor
Employers: The Population Council and New York University
Affiliations: Innovations for Poverty Action, Research Network
Website: www.ericpgreen.com

Promoting Global Health through Practice, Research and Technology

Dr. Eric P Green is a community psychology practitioner whose work is positively impacting the lives of people across the world. His training in community psychology has played a vital role in his current work. His work is illustrative of community action guided by community psychology principles, including the respect for human diversity, social justice, and individual and community wellness.

As an Associate in the Population Council’s Poverty, Gender and Youth Program, Dr. Green is leading a project called Demographic Data for Development. His work involves data sharing and use in three African countries. He and his colleagues are collaborating with in-country partners to help journalists to access and use data in their reporting on health and developmental issues. For example, this project focused on policymakers and their reports of the current data being used and the data they want but do not receive to develop and improve certain policies.

The Population Council is an international, nonprofit, nongovernment organization that aims to improve the well-being and the reproductive health of people around the world. The Council also seeks to help achieve “a humane, equitable and sustainable balance between people and resources.”  In addressing their mission, the Population Council conducts research on HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, and poverty, gender and youth to improve policies, programs and products in over forty countries.

Dr. Green is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Global Public Health in the Public Health Master’s Program at New York University. He teaches students about the use of technology in computers and communication in global health, and the perspectives and policy challenges that influence action in global public health.

The nature of Dr. Green’s work at the Population Council requires a number of skills in research, communication, technology, critical thinking and so on. For Dr. Green, graduate training has played a vital role in his current work. He earned his Master’s of Arts in International Studies and his Doctorate in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of South Carolina.

 

According to Dr. Green, the Clinical-Community Psychology program was a great fit for him. He gained a solid foundation in prevention, program evaluation and developed skills using GIS – a tool he continues to use in his job.  He also utilizes mixed-method research strategies and acknowledges the importance of ecologically oriented and culturally-anchored approaches to interventions for communities.  

While in graduate school, Dr. Green worked with a regional food bank through his community practicum. Through this experience he was able to understand how non-profits work and how research and programming coexist. He also spent eight months in northern Uganda conducting fieldwork for his dissertation. These experiences were certainly helpful in preparing him for his current work, which involves collaborating with both regional and international groups. 

The confluence of his training in community psychology, application of innovative technology and commitment to improving global health has helped make a positive impact in communities around the world.

------ 
This profile was written by Kyrah Brown, from Wichita State University.  It is part of a series of community psychology practitioner profiles.  If you have a suggestion for future profiles, please email ComPsychPractice@gmail.com 

Community Practitioner Spotlight: Shawn Bediako

“I am proud to be both a community psychologist and an applied social/health psychologist.  I love the work I do and respect the colleagues and populations with whom I work. I hope that others can find the same type of fulfillment, zeal, and enthusiasm in their chosen career paths.”

Name: Shawn M. Bediako, Ph.D.
Titles: Assistant Professor of Psychology
Employer: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Affiliations: Association of Black Psychologists, American Psychological Association, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, Society for the Analysis of African American Public Health Issues, American Public Health Association and Emerging Scholars Interdisciplinary Network

“Utilizing Education, Research and Practice to Inspire Change”

Dr. Shawn Bediako is a community psychologist practitioner who is engaged in both community psychology practice and education.

Dr. Bediako is an assistant professor in the Human Services Psychology program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He teaches community and applied social psychology and behavioral medicine and supervises students interested in these areas. His research focuses on adults’ psychosocial adjustment to sickle cell disease. More specifically, he examines how social perceptions about individuals with sickle cell disease are formed by laypeople and health professionals. Dr. Bediako, as a community psychologist, uses his research and advocacy to bring awareness to the need for comprehensive services for this population.

Dr. Bediako’s involvement in the community provides opportunities for him to utilize the skills and competencies gained during training. These skills include incorporating psychological and systems level theory into community projects, contributing to collaborative organizational decision-making, developing social marketing and working with stakeholder groups. For example, Dr. Bediako collaborated with an organization to design a media campaign in an effort to educate persons getting regular blood transfusions about iron overload. He also has worked with a group from a state health department to increase awareness of and knowledge about sickle cell disease and sick cell trait by helping develop its public health strategy. Dr. Bediako is actively involved with a number of empowerment groups that address issues such as manhood development, unemployment and dietary behavior.

Dr. Bediako’s training and personal experiences have played a very important role in his efforts to teach and practice community psychology. Dr. Bediako remembers how his father, a history/government teacher and minister, integrated social justice and empowerment into his ministry. He was exposed to the principles of community organizing and community psychology through church. Dr. Bediako earned his Master’s degree  in Community Psychology from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, a that program emphasized the African-centered approach to systems theory as well as traditional theories and concepts. He was challenged to think about the application of these theories and concepts with respect to historical and cultural context. Dr. Bediako went on to earn his Doctorate in Social/Health Psychology from Stony Brook University. During graduate school, Dr. Bediako took advantage of a number of opportunities, such as, working with the Tallahassee Department of Health and the Center for Health Sciences at the University of Yaounde in Cameroon, which allowed him to utilize the skills learned in graduate school.

Dr. Bediako believes that it is important for budding community psychologists to immerse themselves in the field, connect with mentors and colleagues and identify their purpose for why they do the type of work that they do. For him, clarifying his purpose and asking himself the question, “Have I done something productive to help inspire change in somebody’s life?” keeps him motivated.

Dr. Bediako demonstrates his passion for community wellness by educating students about community psychology and applying community psychology concepts in the communities that he serves.

His entire profile is available on the SCRA website, by clicking here. 

Keywords: community psychology practice, public health, sickle cell research, education, collaboration, African Americans, University of Maryland-Baltimore County

------ 
This profile was written by Kyrah Brown, from Wichita State University.  It is part of a series of community psychology practitioner profiles.  If you have a suggestion for future profiles, please email ComPsychPractice@gmail.com 

Community Practicioner Spotlight: Katherine Tyndall

“Community psychology is the realistic lens through which we can view our community, analyze it, and then actually make changes that truly make a difference…. It is a part of who I am. Community psychology fits me like a glove…”

Name: Katherine (Kate) Tyndall, M.A.
Titles: (1) Adjunct faculty member (2) Mental Health Clinician (3) Small Business and Nonprofit Consultant (4) Addictions Specialist (5) Justice of the Peace
Employer: (1) University of Massachusetts at Lowell (2) Twin Consulting (self employed)
Affiliations: International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), Massachusetts Licensed Additions Counselor, APA Behavioral Social Scientist Volunteer Program , Lowell Women’s Week, World AIDS Day

“ Wearing Many Hats to Promote Healthy Communities”

Kate Tyndall is a community psychologist practitioner who is skillfully making a difference in the lives of people in her community. Kate wears many hats in her community. Interestingly, her work tends to ‘ebb and flow’ as demands present themselves.

Tyndall is the co-founder of the Greater Lowell Equality Alliance (GLEA), an organization grew out of the same-sex marriage equality movement in Massachusetts. This organization provides information, support and visibility for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in greater Lowell. Beginning with no resources and no office, this organization was sparked with a desire to help and improve the health of the LGBT community. Kate is also an adjunct faculty member in the Psychology department at the University of Massachusetts- Lowell. Kate’s approach to teaching stems from her experiences as a community psychologist practitioner, which is in part characterized by her appreciation for her students’ insight and wisdom.

Kate volunteers as a mental health clinician at the Greater Lowell Critical Incident Stress Management. She helps provide services to public safety workers (e.g., police officers, firefighters). As a member of the clinician team, she provides pre-incident education which addresses stress management and tools for dealing with post traumatic stress and assures the workers that the team will be there for them when need arises. Kate’s community psychology practice continues as she also serves as an addictions specialist, a small business and nonprofit consultant and a justice of the peace.

Kate’s practice work is certainly diverse and calls for skills she gained in graduate school. Kate earned her Master’s degree in Community Social Psychology at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Kate’s graduate training has enhanced her ability to examine social change through a systems perspective and to address issues on multiple levels in research. Her training has prepared her for community organizing, evaluating programs, grant writing, applying multiculturalism and designing prevention/intervention programs. One of the most important aspects of Kate’s graduate training was the opportunity to interact with and learn from her professors who were applying the guiding principles and values of community psychology in their community work. Kate remembers the impact of professors like Bill Berkowitz, Anne Mulvey and Meg Bond. Throughout graduate school, she was encouraged, guided and expected to pursue her primary interest, which was HIV/AIDS among women.

Kate’s strong desire to make a positive difference in her community, coupled with her training and experiences in community psychology, has impacted the lives of many people. She has demonstrated that the ability to wear many hats is certainly an advantage when working in communities.  Read Katherine's full interview here.

------

This profile was written by Kyrah Brown, from Wichita State University.  It is part of a series of community psychology practitioner profiles.  If you have a suggestion for future profiles, please email ComPsychPractice@gmail.com

Katherine graduated from the Community Psychology Masters program at University of Massachusetts Lowell.  Find out more about their graduate program here.

Community Practitioner Spotlight: Laura Clark

Impacting Children’s Lives through Research and Evaluation

“I feel really lucky to have found a career that fits so well with my own personal values and beliefs. I go to work every day knowing that my training will be utilized in a variety of ways; it’s not just some esoteric degree. I’m also really glad that as a community psychology practitioner, I’m able to connect the principles that guide our field to the real world issues facing health and human service providers.”
- Laura Clark, M.A.

Name: Laura Clark, M.A.
Title: Director of Research and Evaluation
Employer: Council for Children’s Rights
Affiliations: American Psychological Association, Society for Community Research & Action, International Society for Child Indicators

-------

Laura Clark is a community psychologist practitioner who is effectively using her skills and knowledge to help protect the rights of children. The Council for Children's Rights is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of children in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the Director of Research and Evaluation, Laura oversees the internal program evaluation for three advocacy programs and represents Council for Children’s Rights on relevant community committees. She is also responsible for staffing the Council for Children’s Rights Research Advisory Committee and maintaining relationships with local research institutions, universities and graduate student interns for various research projects.

The Larry King Center for Building Children's Futures is a Council for Children’s Rights initiative on which Laura leads the community planning, research, and program evaluation efforts. Laura’s work on this initiative involves  developing comprehensive community plans to address a number of issues affecting children in the community, compiling and monitoring community indicators related to well-being, and researching and disseminating evidence-based practice research to community stakeholders. She also works with staff to develop public policies that support evidence-based practices in the community. Laura’s service doesn’t end with the Council for Children’s Rights; she also serves on two non-profit boards and teaches undergraduate classes in community psychology and program evaluation.

It is clear that this area of work requires an array of skills in areas such as research, evaluation, and community relations. These skills are very well nestled in Community Psychology. Laura, who earned a Master’s feels that her graduate education prepared her for her career. The skills Laura gained in program evaluation were particularly conducive to her job which involves developing surveys, conducting needs assessments and helping stakeholders to develop appropriate evaluation plans.

As a student, Laura’s field experiences allowed her “to see community psychology in action by working directly with neighborhoods and community agencies.” Laura was able to learn hands-on how to work with diverse populations towards common goals, how to listen to the needs of community members and how to bridge the gap between science and practice. Additionally, the mentorship she received in graduate school was certainly beneficial to her professional development.

Laura’s training in community psychology and extensive experience in community settings has equipped her to work with all sorts of people in many different settings. Her work with the Council for Children’s Rights illustrates just how community psychology utilizes research, policy and community collaboration to evoke social change. Read Laura's full interview here. 

-------

This profile was written by Kyrah Brown, from Wichita State University.  It is part of a series of community psychology practitioner profiles.  If you have a suggestion for future profiles, please email ComPsychPractice@gmail.com

Laura Clark graduated from the Clinical/Community Psychology M.A. Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2002.  Find out more about that program here.