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Following with the revised approach we used last year, Elections are open the entire month of November.

Please note that in order to vote, you will need to be a member in good standing, so be sure to renew your membership before voting (our membership year runs November 1 to October 31).

To help you make informed choices, following are the candidates brief bios and statements. They will be available here and on the portal until voting closes November 30. To reach the portal, go to votenet

Jill Ehrenreich-May, Ph.D.

Position Statement

My respect for and dedication to ABCT has its roots in my own mentorship, as my graduate school and postdoctoral mentors served in leadership roles. ABCT has nurtured my career, the careers of my students, research assistants, and postdoctoral fellows. As President, I will continue to ensure that ABCT is a welcoming place to foster academic and clinical careers in CBT as it has for me and my academic family. While I don't personally bring ABCT greater racial or ethnic diversity as President, I am committed to recruiting and supporting a newer generation of clinicians and scientists, with a particular focus on BIPOC scholars, women, sexual and gender minority individuals, and others who have been underrepresented in leadership.

My activities as President will also focus on the acute need for dissemination of our evidence-based interventions that carefully attends to the crises of our moment, including: (1) health disparities and systemic issues that have resulted in the study and receipt of evidence-based interventions in White, wealthy communities to the exclusion of diverse and lower-income communities; and (2) this pandemic and our concomitant movement to internet- and telehealth-based interventions.

I will craft priorities and focus the convention during my presidential term to increase diversity (in every sense) of ABCT governance and membership and support early-career leaders to bring new ideas and open science methods to the community. Finally, I commit to informing myself by actively engaging with antiracism education and activities to promote a more inclusive future for the organization.

Biographical Statement

For more than 25 years, ABCT has been my professional home. I am a Professor and Assistant Chair in the Department of Psychology at the University of Miami, where I direct the Child and Adolescent Mood and Anxiety Treatment Program. I received my Clinical Psychology Ph.D. at the University of Mississippi and, after internship, became a Research Assistant Professor at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders.

I am dedicated to developing, testing, and disseminating cognitive behavioral interventions for youth with anxiety and related concerns. Because of the great need to broaden the reach of CBT, my NIH-funded work includes effectiveness trials examining treatment of youth emotional distress in community settings. This work has resulted in 125 publications, two books and treatment manuals. My true passion is training others in youth interventions. Developing the Unified Protocols for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents with my colleagues allowed me to expand my teaching domestically and globally.

Throughout my work, I am an advocate for women, parents, and BIPOC individuals. I am the Chair of UM's Faculty Senate's Standing Committee on Equity and Inclusion, a member of my Department's Diversity and Equity Committee, and Member-at-Large for Science and Practice for APA's Division 53. I also served as one of ABCT's first Child and Adolescent Anxiety SIG leaders and founded its preconference meeting. Of all these things, I am most proud of having an equitable, collaborative, and productive lab and raising two happy children while navigating my career.

Alec L. Miller, Psy.D.

Position Statement

At this moment, the citizens of our world are facing numerous challenges that are having a dramatic impact: a health pandemic; systemic racism; unprecedented unemployment, to name a few. We have yet to fully realize the rapidly approaching mental health pandemic that is a natural consequence of this perfect storm.

ABCT has served as my professional home for 30 years. If I had the privilege to serve as your president, I promise to offer my passion and leadership experience as someone who has worked in both academic medical centers with underserved communities and private clinical, training and research centers, has consulted to agencies and schools, and has served on the boards of numerous academic, professional, and business organizations. Your active participation is critically important, and I welcome your ideas and collaboration.

My primary goals include: (1) Disseminate evidence-based assessments and treatments to all individuals, intentionally broadening clinical and research inclusion criteria considering race, SES, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity, with the goal of reducing health disparities; (2) Evaluate the effectiveness of telehealth and work with insurance companies and regulatory bodies to advocate for reciprocity of licensure across state lines; (3) Train our members in psychological first aid and skills for psychological recovery to help our society cope with sequelae from all of our current societal challenges; (4) Enhance antiracism, inclusion, and diversity by recruiting, training, and mentoring more members of color and encourage them to become leaders at ABCT; (5) Disseminate EBTs to nonclinical settings, including primary care, forensic, and school settings.

Biographical Statement

I am a licensed clinical psychologist, trainer, researcher, and treatment developer. I am Co-Founder and Clinical Director of Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants, a clinical, training, and research center based in White Plains and Manhattan, NY, and also a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. From 1995-2015, I served as Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychology, Director of the Adolescent Depression and Suicide Program, Associate Director of Psychology Training, and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.

As a treatment developer of DBT for suicidal adolescents, my specialties include adolescent suicide and self-injury and borderline personality disorder. I received my BA from the University of Michigan and my doctorate in clinical psychology from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University. Since 1995, I have headed clinical-research teams adapting DBT for numerous patient populations and settings including schools. I have co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters as well as the three primary texts on DBT with adolescents. I enjoy training mental health and school professionals worldwide, and especially love being invited to present at PTA meetings!

As a proud Fellow of ABCT, I have been invited to conduct several master clinician seminars and share my research at the annual conventions. I have enjoyed serving on the ABCT Program Committee, the Professional Issues Committee, the Awards and Recognition Committee, and as Associate Editor of Cognitive & Behavioral Practice.

Katherine J. W. Baucom, Ph.D.

Position Statement

In the context of the deep emotional pain so many in the world have experienced in 2020, ABCT is in a unique position to enhance health and well-being on a larger scale and in new and different ways. Both the 2018 Strategic Plan and the "working" Strategic Directions that are in progress include a focus on enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization and the field. I believe this must be the top-priority theme for ABCT. The organization is well-positioned to build on the steps it is taking to address systemic racism, equity, and inclusion (e.g., President Antony's September 2020 column in the Behavior Therapist), particularly with the work of the ABCT Task Force to Promote Equity, Inclusion, and Access. I am committed to contributing to the implementation of the recommendations of the Task Force-whether elected Representative-at-Large or not.

In addition to the service/leadership roles I have held within and outside ABCT, the range of professional experiences I have had in clinical, research, and tenure-track faculty positions have given me a deep appreciation for many of the professional activities in which ABCT members are engaged-clinical practice, training students and community members in CBTs, undergraduate teaching, and research. I believe my experiences within and outside ABCT would help me contribute to the advancement of ABCT's mission as a Representative-at-Large and Liaison to Convention and Education Issues.

Biographical Statement

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Utah. I trained at New College of Florida (B.A.), UCLA (Ph.D.), and UCSD/San Diego VA (internship). ABCT has been my professional home since my first conference as a second-year graduate student in 2006, and much of my professional service has been to ABCT. I've served in leadership positions within the Couples Research and Therapy SIG (Student Co-President, Co-President), and have been involved in service to the broader organization as a member and then Chair of the Awards & Recognition Committee (2014-2017), on the editorial board of the Behavior Therapist (2017-2019), and currently as the Coordinator of Academic and Professional Issues (2017-2020). Outside of ABCT I am completing a 2-year term as a Member-at-Large on the Society for the Science of Clinical Psychology Board of Directors at the end of this calendar year.

Ana J. Bridges, Ph.D.

Position Statement

I attended my first ABCT conference when I was a predoctoral intern at the Medical University of South Carolina. The conference was a peak professional experience-I was intellectually and socially stimulated and made the organization an integral part of my early career. However, mid-career I became increasingly disenchanted with the organization. I saw concerning shifts in national and global politics that were directly impacting clients. These included an increase in deportations, deadly police violence against Black people, openly hostile legislative efforts to regulate which bathroom facility someone could use, and, with every mass gun violence episode, an increase in access to and deregulation of firearms. I saw an open assault on the use of science to inform good policy (and this was before we were facing a global pandemic) and an unsustainable and destabilizing wealth gap that had far-reaching and often life-threatening consequences for our most vulnerable neighbors. Supervising graduate students in a federally qualified health center ensured I was a constant witness to the turbulent tides of geopolitics and their clear impact on mental health. And yet, I did not often see in ABCT strong acknowledgment of these realities. I value deeply the life-changing tools we give our clients when we use cognitive behavioral therapies. In large part because of these values, I see how context critically alters the day-to-day experiences of people and their ability to access needed care.

There is a long history in my family of activism-when you see injustice, you use your gifts and training to right it. That is my goal in running for ABCT Representative-at-Large. ABCT's new strategic plan places some of these core values and strategic initiatives at the forefront. At the 2019 conference, sessions focused on diversity in training and clinical practice were impressively well-attended, increasing my confidence that ABCT is eager to expand its focus on reaching mental health professionals, trainees, and clients who might have been feeling excluded. I would be honored to be part of a leadership team that promotes CBT while attending to processes of equity, inclusion, access, and diversity.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Bridges is a professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas, director of the Diversity Research and Enhanced Access for Minorities (DREAM) lab, and principal investigator of numerous grants to train clinical psychology students in delivering culturally responsive evidence-based mental health care to underserved communities. She is a native of Argentina and fluent in Spanish and English. She has received national mentoring awards for her dedication to training underrepresented graduate students. Dr. Bridges has held leadership positions in the university and in state and national organizations, including Senior Fellow in the University's Office for Diversity and Inclusion, the Arkansas Psychological Association's membership committee, and co-chair of ABCT's Hispanic Issues in Behavior Therapy Special Interest Group. During her tenure as a SIG leader, Dr. Bridges established the SIG's first web presence, inaugurated the annual SIG student, early career, and lifetime achievement awards, and grew the SIG membership by three-fold.

Barbara W. Kamholz, Ph.D., ABPP

Position Statement

Several years ago, I realized that my life had become divided. In my professional life, I worked to do "good" through academic, clinical, and mentoring efforts. In my private life, my more "political" values like justice and equality were in the forefront. Though obviously related, my values weren't well integrated across domains. Worse yet, the values I held most strongly seemed to be under threat across the world and in the U.S.

I decided to make a change, and carved out time to actively support groups and political leaders that shared my values. I've been fortunate to learn from those who have been in the fight longer, and those who are most affected by injustice. And I've worked to better integrate the domains of my life.

ABCT is not just a mental health organization. It is an organization based on core values that most of us share-science, quality, diversity, mentorship, and accountability. Based on that foundation, we can help address a vast array of problems the world is facing. Armed with science, compassion, and broad communication skills, we can help tackle mental health difficulties, and also social and racial justice issues, health and care inequities, and more. From enhancing mask use related to COVID, to addressing the mental health effects associated with the chronic stresses of experiencing injustice and prejudice, to fighting for structural changes in a health care system that disproportionately leaves out Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ patients, ABCT can counter many of the destructive forces broadly at play.

We also have work to do ourselves. Our field, and ABCT's leadership, is not diverse (my candidacy does little to change that). Costs associated with applications and travel for trainees are prohibitive to enormous numbers of people. Cultural competence is far from the norm.

I have served ABCT for the last 15 years. This includes sitting on the Academic Training and Education Standards Committee, and serving as Workshop Committee Chair, Coordinator for Convention and Continuing Education, and Associate Editor for Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. Now I'd like to apply what I've learned these most recent years to enhance implementation of ABCT's core values, and to help increase ABCT's public influence and voice. I would be proud to serve ABCT as Board Secretary-Treasurer, and I would be honored to have your vote.

Biographical Statement

Dr. Barbara Kamholz is Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine, and is Board Certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology. She serves as Associate Director of Outpatient Mental Health Services at VA Boston, and as Director of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Education for the Boston University Psychiatry Residency. Dr. Kamholz has served in multiple leadership positions in ABCT and in the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, where she is currently Senior Advisor for Professional Education. In addition to these roles and her private clinical practice, Dr. Kamholz provides consulting services to educational and research programs, professional organizations, and advocacy groups. Dr. Kamholz's current academic work focuses on interprofessional CBT training and mentorship.

Erin F. Ward-Ciesielski, Ph.D.

Position Statement

As an early-career researcher, clinician, and educator, I am passionate about continuing to build resources to demystify professional development and "expand the tent" to include individuals from a range of backgrounds and disciplines within ABCT. Many members may have come from training programs or institutions where it was routine to be involved in national professional organizations; however, many trainees do not have this expectation and may not realize the promise that membership and community can provide at all training and career stages. The transitions between roles and institutions-particularly in the early stages of one's career-can leave people unaware of the options available to them. This is where I think ABCT has a unique and important role to play.

ABCT is an organization focused on enhancing health and well-being and advancing evidence-based principles. It also values science, diversity, and mentorship, meaning there are abundant opportunities to continue to grow toward those values and make space and support for early career members who may not have established collaborative, mentoring, or networking contacts. In addition to the duties of the Secretary-Treasurer, expanding and increasing awareness of resources within ABCT and our effectiveness to disseminate research and professional resources to the widest possible audience are key goals to which I would be honored to contribute. To achieve these goals, involvement of early-career members at all levels of ABCT will be particularly important.

If elected as Secretary-Treasurer, I will bring my organizational skills-including tracking, coordination, database management, and budgeting-to meet the responsibilities of the role. I will also work with the ABCT Board, Finance Committee, central office, and our membership to continue to pursue the abovementioned goals and the broader ABCT mission.

Biographical Statement

I am a research assistant professor at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) at Boston University. Previously, I was an assistant professor of psychology in the clinical psychology doctoral program at Hofstra University. I completed my training at Indiana University South Bend (B.A), University of Washington (M.S. and Ph.D.), and the University of Mississippi Medical Center/G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA (internship). My interests include the development and evaluation of brief, transdiagnostic interventions for suicidal individuals, particularly those who have been underserved by current outreach efforts. I have taught graduate and undergraduate courses on these topics, in addition to training mental health providers in DBT and other CBT treatment approaches.

I attended my first ABCT conference as a graduate student in 2010, and since that time I have sought to introduce other undergraduate and graduate students to the range of professional and research opportunities the organization provides. Over the past 10 years, ABCT has become my professional home and a cornerstone of my research and professional development.

I have previously served ABCT as Chair of the Self-Help Book Recommendations Committee (2016-2019) and I continue to serve on this committee currently. Across institutions and organizations in which I have been involved, I have sought opportunities to improve graduate training, support professional development, and increase diversity, equity, and inclusion.