Distinguished Service Award
The Division offers this award for distinguished contributions to Division 44 through exceptional service. Award winners have a long history of being active contributors to the life of the Division and are the lifeblood of this organization whose efforts we appreciate.
2010 winner
Janis S. Bohan (right in photo) received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Rochester (New York) in 1970. Most of her professional career has been that of Professor of Psychology at the Metropolitan State College of Denver as well as holding Adjunct Faculty positions at many other universities.
Glenda Russell (left in photo) received her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Colorado in 1983. She has spent her career combining practice, teaching, research, and activism. Both have been scholars and activists with regard to gay rights and have had a clear impact in their attempts to clarify and change public policy in regard to LGBT issues. While Janice and Glenda have been involved in activism across the country, I will focus primarily on their work on behalf of the Division. They are always helpful to the Division; for example, Janis was on the Search Committee for the Book Series Editor and Glenda was our Diversity Trainer on Classism at the January Executive Committee meeting.
They both were involved in the revision of the Guidelines for Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients and conducted an online survey of mental health professionals to assess their use of the original Guidelines. The data analysis was published in our Newsletter. Of particular importance were their activities as Co-Chairs of the Division’s Public Policy Committee during 2005–2008. In this capacity, they worked closely with APA State Associations on LGBT issues. They were in direct contact with legislators involved in LGBT-related legislation. On noting homophobic material in the media, they contacted the offending entities. One instance involved Super Bowl advertising and they corresponded with the offending company, the football teams involved and the National Football League. They wrote letters to Newsweek magazine and the author of a piece published by that magazine that misrepresented important LGBT issues. They were also in touch with other divisions of APA when they felt they did not accurately portray LGBT issues. All of this work was carried out with grace and dignity. They developed a rapid response mechanism seeing the need for the Division to respond quickly with policy statements. They were and continue to be our watchdogs, monitoring the public media and responding to their representation of LGBT issues when these are in error. Their responses and outreach are always firmly based in the scientific literature and they have been exceptional spokespeople for us. They provide a wealth of information and are always willing to respond when we need them. Just recently, for example, they were involved in drafting the Division 44 “Resolution on Immigration.”
2009 winner
Gregory M. Herek, Ph.D. - Dr. Herek received his Ph.D. in 1983 from the University of California at Davis. After serving as a faculty member at Yale and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, he returned to Davis where he is Professor of Psychology. A Charter Member of Division 44, Dr. Herek has a long history of service to the Division. He is a past Chair of the APA Committee on Lesbian and Gay Concerns and has served on the APA Task Force on Avoiding Heterosexist Bias in Research and on the Task Force on AIDS. In 1982 he received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the APA Committee on Lesbian and Gay Concerns. In 1989 and again in 1999 he received the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the Division.
He is the recipient of the 2006 Kurt Lewin Memorial Award for "outstanding contributions to the development and integration of psychological research and social action" and the APA Early Career Award for Contribution to Psychology in the Public Interest. In view of his research and advocacy on behalf of LGBT people, he was invited to be a participant at President Clinton's White House Conference on Hate Crimes. He has testified before the U.S. Congress on gays and the U.S. military and on antigay violence.
Dr. Herek has assisted the APA in preparing amicus briefs in numerous court cases. These include challenges to the constitutionality of state laws prohibiting marriage by same-sex couples, state sodomy laws at the federal and state levels, state antigay ballot propositions, military policies excluding lesbians and gay men, and the right of the Boy Scouts of America to exclude gay people. In addition, he has served as consultant and expert witness for numerous legal cases involving the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, and people with AIDS. Dr. Herek's service has extended from his graduate school through his current activities. He has produced important research and through his advocacy made a significant impact on social policy affecting LGBT people.
2008 winner
Douglas Kimmel, Ph.D. - This year's recipient of the Distinguished Service Award is our stalwart friend and founder of this division, Dr. Douglas Kimmel.
Dr. Kimmel completed his doctorate at the University of Chicago, and is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology, City College, CUNY. His international academic credentials include Visiting Professorships in Tokyo at Obirin University and Tokyo Metropolitan University, as well as, Fulbright Lecture Professor at Tokyo Woman's Christian University. Clinically, he maintains a private practice in Hancock, Maine.
Dr. Kimmel is deeply and firmly rooted in this organization. He was Chair of the Association of Gay Psychologists (1977), the precursor organization to Division 44, and President of Division 44 from 1987 to 1988, i.e., the third sitting President of this Society. Since 2006, our newsletter has flourished with him as editor.
He has represented our interests in APA governance by serving on the Committee for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Concerns (1980-83), and the Board of Social and Ethical Responsibility (1983-1986), focusing on ageism issues. He then went on to chair the APA Task Force on Avoiding Ageism in Psychological Research. The Council of Representatives profited from his efforts from 1992 to 1994. He was appointed as a trustee of the American Psychological Foundation from 1996 to 2002. Not satisfied to rest on his laurels, he is currently chair-elect of the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest.
In the broader community, Dr. Kimmel has advanced LGBT Psychology. Looking out for those of us who are rapidly approaching the golden years, he co-founded Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) in 1977.
His awards are too numerous to mention but this Division has previously presented him its Distinguished Education Contribution Award and APA's Committee for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns granted him its Outstanding Achievement Award.
Dr. Kimmel's scholarship has included publication of the textbook, Adulthood and Aging, which includes his appreciation for the intersection of aging and sexual orientation. He is co-editor of Psychological Perspectives on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Experience and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Aging: Research and Clinical Perspectives.
Dr. Kimmel has been a mentor to many who have held leadership roles in Division 44. It is with the utmost of respect and honor that we name Dr. Douglas Kimmel this year's winner of the Distinguished Service Award.
Past winners
- 2007 Terry Gock
- 2006 Henry Taylor and Robin Buhrke
- 2005 No award
- 2004 No award
- 2003 Steven E. James
- 2002 Steven Morin
- 1990 Christine Browning & Kristin Hancock
Nominations
Please send nominations for this award to the President-Elect.