Professor Kimberly Balsam, Ph.D., Receives APA Presidential Citation

PAU’s Kimberly Balsam, Ph.D., was awarded a prestigious Presidential Citation from the president of the American Psychological Association at the 2019 National Multicultural Conference and Summit held in January in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Balsam, chair of PAU’s Department of Psychology and director of the Center for LGBTQ Evidence-Based Applied Research, received the award in recognition of her leading work on LGBTQ psychology.

“This achievement reflects Dr. Balsam’s dedication to the field of psychology, particularly as it relates to diverse and LGBTQ populations,” said PAU President Maureen O’Connor. “Her commitment, talent, and leadership play a critical role in serving diverse communities and bringing knowledge to bear on improving society for marginalized populations. I could not be more proud.”

APA President Rosie Phillips Davis presented Dr. Balsam with the Citation, recognizing her for exceptional leadership as a researcher, clinician, mentor, and servant to professional societies. The surprise Citation lauded Dr. Balsam for her work on LGBTQ psychology in societal contexts, for mentoring students in her research lab, and for her leadership in Division 44 and APA.

“It was such an honor to receive the Presidential Citation,” said Dr. Balsam, who was one of only five people to receive the award. “When I entered this profession in the 1990s, I decided to focus my clinical, research, and professional service work on addressing the unique issues and challenges facing LGBTQ communities. 20 years later, it is incredibly gratifying to be recognized for my life’s work and passion by APA. While the field of LGBTQ psychology has grown tremendously, there is still a great deal of work to be done to promote health and well-being among diverse LGBTQ people. I hope that this citation will raise awareness of these issues in our field and inspire future generations of psychologists to get involved.”

Dr. Balsam served as the president of APA’s Society for Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (Division 44) from 2016–17. She is also a Fellow of this Division and was the 2010 recipient of their Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award. She has worked tirelessly on new projects including co-creating a new Task Force on Racism and a new leadership institute for women, transgender, and gender non-binary psychologists and psychology students. 
Learn more about Dr. Balsam. (https://www.paloaltou.edu/faculty/kimberly-balsam)