Specialists in the Public Service

• Tell us about your current professional roles:

After 20 years of government service across several roles and duty stations, I am stretching new entrepreneurial muscles in a solo practice as an executive coach and consulting psychologist. Today I support individual leaders and teams through one-on-one and group coaching, professional development workshops, and change management projects. I was drawn to organizational and business consulting as a psychologist navigating a very complex system trying to make a positive impact on staff and people in custody, and then as an executive tasked with removing organizational roadblocks, leading teams, and increasing staff engagement. I entered the Bureau of Prisons as a post-doctoral fellow and retired as the warden of a federal prison, with numerous clinical and executive roles in between. 

• What are you most proud of or excited about in your service as a former Bureau of Prisons psychologist?

I am proud to have changed perceptions of psychologists in the agency by serving in non-clinical roles. I proved that the psychologist’s skill set (e.g. analytical skills, emotional intelligence, effective communication, etc.) is transferable to correctional leadership. 

• What would you like other psychologists to understand about your role and how it has fostered your growth as a professional?

I attribute my professional growth to following my curiosities about all aspects of institution operations and policy. I learned how psychology services interacted with, and depended upon, all other departments. I developed supportive relationships with my coworkers in other departments and gained access to resources that otherwise would not have been known to me. I also developed more creative solutions to problems by stepping out of the psychology silo. 

• What advice do you have for other psychologists who may be interested in seeking board certification through ABPP?

The diversity of clinical issues and organizational challenges in correctional settings creates a deep reservoir of knowledge and experience. Review the list of ABPP specialty areas and think broadly about how your knowledge and experience align with those specialties. Give yourself full credit for the expertise you have developed. Don’t minimize your experience or tell yourself that you are not qualified. Initiate your specialty application, request a mentor, and enjoy the process of demonstrating the depth of your expertise to the specialty board.