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Pryscilla Balladares
Pryscilla Balladares is an Academic Advisor at Alverno College. She has an undergraduate degree in Political Science with a Concentration in Law from the University of Wisconsin- Parkside. Currently, she is a graduate student at Alverno studying in the Community Psychology program. Outside of the college, she is a creative artist, with her focus in creative writing and collage art. She is also the Creative Director of a Milwaukee inspired t-shirt brand that her husband and she own. When she’s not working on creative projects, she likes to binge watch good shows on Netflix with her two doggies, and listen to crime podcasts.

Dale Bespalec, PhD
Dr. Bespalec is the current APA Council Representative from Wisconsin. He is a life member of WPA and has served as president and treasurer of the association. Dr. Bespalec is Professor Emeritus at the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology and is self-employed as a clinical and consulting psychologist. 

Joyce Tang Boyland, PhD
Joyce Tang Boyland is an associate professor of psychology at Alverno College in Milwaukee, WI.  She earned her Ph.D. in psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. She grew up and attended college in Massachusetts, and has lived in Austria, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the PRC.  Moving here to a state where car-ownership is assumed opened her eyes to the structural inequities created by federal, state, and local land use and transportation policies of the mid-20th century, many of which persist to this day, pulling lives off-track.  Research and teaching interests include aging and disability, cultural psychology, and environmental psychology.  

Jenny Craig, PsyD
Jennifer Craig, Psy.D. is a post-doctoral fellow in clinical psychology. She graduated from the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology and completed her internship at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. She has worked with children and adults throughout her practicum placements and has experience providing individual and group therapy as well as psychological evaluations for all ages. She has worked in a number of settings including school, private practice, and community-based settings. She is also an adjunct instructor at the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology.

Teresa DePratt, PhD, LP
Dr. Teresa DePratt (she/her pronouns) completed her doctorate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2018. She is currently a Licensed Psychologist in both Missouri and Wisconsin, with credentials pending in Minnesota. For over a decade she has been working with diverse undergraduate and graduate scholars via University Counseling and Psychological Services, supporting the growth and success of students at institutions including MSOE (Milwaukee School of Engineering), MCW (Medical College of Wisconsin- Psychiatry and Behavioral Health), UW-Milwaukee, Kansas State University, and the University of Missouri – Columbia (Mizzou). Clinical interests include exploration of identities, higher ed contexts, treating mood disorders, exploring and decreasing health disparities, the entwined relationship between physical and mental health, supporting body size and ability appreciation and differences, and recruitment and retention of First Generation college and graduate students.

Dr. DePratt is currently a Psychologist and Diversity & Inclusion Coordinator to the UW La Crosse Counseling & Testing Center. The role was created and appointed by both Student Affairs and Diversity & Inclusion leaders to better serve traditionally marginalized students, have a specific point of contact for related education and organization within and representative of the CTC, and to initiate relationships with individuals and organizations having a wide variety of identities across campus and the La Crosse community. Dr. DePratt is starting private practice under the name Bluffside Counseling in La Crosse, WI. She is a proud member of the Greater La Crosse Area Diversity Council, a member-at-large of the Wisconsin Psychology Association Board, and current chair of the WPA Diversity Committee. Dr. DePratt was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Amanda Dowling, PsyD
Amanda Dowling is a member of the WPA's Public Education Committee (Pub Ed) and was most recently featured on PubEd's YouTube video series, "Everyday Anxiety".  Amanda has a broad clinical background that has focused largely on serving the underserved, including history serving marginalized populations in corrections, hospital, and community settings.

Steven Elkind, PhD
Dr. Steven A. Elkind received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology-Los Angeles in 1976.  He has worked in California, New York, Illinois, and Wisconsin, with a wide variety of outpatient and inpatient populations. In Wisconsin, Dr. Elkind was Executive Director of the HRC Mental Health Center in Superior as well as inventor of the Lutefisk Bagel.  He was Director of the Schroeder Child Inpatient Center at Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital.  Dr. Elkind has been a private practitioner and supervisor in the Madison area since 1999, providing direct services and consultation to individuals and organizations. He works with individuals, children, and adolescents, and has a particular interest in couple’s therapy.  He trained at the Gestalt Therapy Institute of Los Angeles from 1973 through 1976, and completed certification in January 1977.  He has maintained his interest in Gestalt Therapy through a wide variety of training activities.  In the early 1980’s, Dr. Elkind served on the Board of the Gestalt Institute of Chicago, teaching the theory portion of the Professional Training Program.  When living in Milwaukee he developed the Gestalt Therapy Center of Milwaukee.  His Gestalt Therapy Center of Madison has been up and running for over two years.  The Center trains therapists and students in the theory and practice of Gestalt Therapy.  Steve’s work emphasizes how awareness and choice organize experience.

Bruce Erdmann, PhD
Kim Skerven, PhD and Bruce Erdmann, PhD have been working on PSYPACT through WPA's Advocacy Cabinet.

Susan Gaeddert, MS, DMA
Susan Gaeddert graduated from UW-Madison with a Masters of Science in Urban/Regional Planning in 2020, where she specialized in transportation, land use, and recreational trail planning. Susan has experience working in the affordable housing sector, comprehensive plan development, and community engagement. Susan came to urban planning after a long career in music performance.  When not at work or at the piano, she can be found outside in the garden or exploring local trails. She is a long-time advocate for outdoor education.

Diane Garrison, PhD
Diane C. Garrison, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Feminine Power Coach and Dream Builder Coach. She is the owner and Clinic Director of Lake Country Wellness and Counseling, a holistic healing center in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.  She achieved her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of South Florida and has been practicing in both inpatient and outpatient settings for 30 years. Throughout her career, she has worked with mental health, life adjustment, alcohol and drug, and dual diagnosis issues, with a special interest and focus on the unique needs of women.  As she has grown in wisdom and spirituality, her treatment focus has greatly shifted from traditional symptom reduction to assisting clients to truly flourish in their lives, Mind-Body-Spirit & Emotion. 

Caressa Givens
Caressa is currently a Program Manager with the advocacy non-profit, the Wisconsin Bike Fed. She has eight years of combined experience as a Safe Routes to School educator, bike-share programming manager, and advocacy organizer for Complete Streets. Ms.Givens is currently a volunteer Project Manager for the active transportation alliance Milwaukee Safe & Healthy Streets Group and serves as the Chair of the City of Milwaukee’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force. She commutes by bike and bus and loves to walk places and bike camp!

Karyn Gust-Brey, PhD
Karyn L. Gust-Brey, Ph.D. has been a licensed psychologist since 2000. She worked in the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) Division of Juvenile Corrections (DJC) for 13 years as a psychology intern and a licensed psychologist. She has worked for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) since 2013, where she is currently a psychology supervisor in the completion of inpatient competency evaluations, competency restoration treatment, and psychological evaluations in an adult forensic program. She also periodically provides psychological services and consultation for youth placed at the institution because of an adjudication of delinquency. She has taught graduate assessment courses and has supervised practicum students, predoctoral interns, and postdoctoral fellows in assessment. She has been providing outpatient psychological evaluation services to the greater Milwaukee area since 2009. She has experience in expert witness testimony.

Vanessa Hintz, PsyD – KEYNOTE Speaker
Dr. Vanessa Hintz is a licensed clinical psychologist, workshop leader and keynote speaker. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Engagement and Outreach for the American Psychological Association (APA). In her career, Dr. Hintz has worked in various clinical settings with children, adolescents, and adults with a wide array of presenting issues. She is an active proponent of multicultural practice and theory and works dynamically to understand how individuals make meaning of the world within their various cultural contexts. Dr. Hintz is also a self-proclaimed “Psych Geek,” and incorporates elements of popular culture into her work when beneficial. Dr. Hintz has engaged with practitioners and scholars in the fields of academia, consultation, and training, utilizing expertise in psychology and human behavior to provide insights focused on principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

During Dr. Hintz’s presentation and optional roundtable following there will be discussion of the structure and context needed to create systemic change and promote collective accountability – leading with the principle that we are all responsible for supporting and contributing to a culture that fully promotes Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). We will outline how the work of State Associations align with the EDI Framework and how APA’s Executive EDI Office can support you in efforts internally, across the field of psychology, and within society. Members of WPA will consider strategies for incorporating the current EDI principles into their work.

Brittney Holcomb, PhD
Bio coming soon

Jennifer Katele, PsyD
Dr. Katele has experience and training with serious mental illness/psychosis, substance use and addictive behaviors, personality disorders, trauma and its sequelae, grief and loss, and a variety of other concerns that bring an individual into treatment. She has a background in a variety of treatment settings, including private practice, community mental health, residential treatment, inpatient psychiatric care, geriatrics, and forensics. While her primary theoretical orientation is rooted psychodynamic theory, she takes an eclectic approach to treatment, integrating aspects of cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, and humanistic techniques, viewing the therapeutic alliance as the primary vehicle of change. In her private practice clinical work, she treats adolescents and adults in psychotherapy and conducts psychological assessments for a range of ages and referral reasons, with an emphasis on the use of projective personality measures. Dr. Katele has been an instructor with the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology since 2018 and joined the Core Faculty in 2021, teaching both sections of Adult Cognitive and Personality Assessment and Practicum, Clinical Supervision, as well as an elective in Addictive Behaviors. She provides supervision in psychotherapy and assessment in both professional settings. She is also currently the chair of WSPP’s Continuing Education Committee.

Carolyn (Carey) McAndrews, PhD
Carolyn (Carey) McAndrews is an associate professor in the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She received her doctorate in city and regional planning with a designated emphasis in global metropolitan studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Her fields of research are transportation planning, policy, and design. Her research seeks to understand how emerging health, safety, and environmental goals become part of mainstream transportation decision making. Equity is central to these goals, and her research analyzes the distribution of transportation’s health impacts, as well as how people organize to influence transportation decision making. 

Amber Miller, MBA, MHEA
In her current role as Associate State Director of Community Outreach with AARP-Wisconsin, Miss Miller focuses on expanding the AARP Livable Communities initiative, being the frontline voice and presence with the 50+ public, along with community and partnership development.

She has over 10 years’ experience in the non-profit and economic development industry with a passion to help Entrepreneurs. She was named one of the “40 Under 40” winners through the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2019 and a Commissioner for Milwaukee County Division on Aging since 2020. Miss Miller holds a B.A in Business and Management through Alverno College and a MBA through Upper Iowa University.

Brianna Montano, PsyD
Brianna Montano, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist with Ascension Medical Group. She provides compassionate care in an adult outpatient behavioral health clinic that is on the St. Elizabeth Hospital campus in Appleton, WI. She sees patients for individual therapy, bariatric assessment, gender affirming surgery assessment, and general diagnostic assessment. Dr. Montano has a special interest in severe mental illness, adjustment to community after prison, grief and the LGBTQIA+ community. Outside of the office, Dr. Montano enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, camping and hiking.

Maria Monteagudo, MBA
Bio coming soon

Mary Neff, PsyD
Dr. Neff is a licensed psychologist with a doctoral degree in clinical psychology with addtional training in forensic and child-specific matters. She provides mental health treatment and psychological assessment services for children, adolescents, and adults at an outpatient mental health clinic. Dr. Neff is on the faculty of the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology and has served on the board of the Wisconsin Psychological Association, as well as chairing the WPA Professional Issues Committee.

Ben Rader
Ben Rader is the current and ongoing leader of WPA's Public Education Committee (PubEd). He has presented on a broad range of topics including the promotion of social justice, diversity, and cultural healing. He practices in the greater Milwaukee area and is a member of North American Society for Adlerian Psychologists (NASAP) and the American Psychological Association (APA).  He is also the Executive Director of the Milwaukee Affiliate for Social Living (MASL), a NASAP affiliate with a three-pronged purpose of Personal Growth, Professional Development, and Community Enrichment.

Rachel Reinders-Saeman, PhD
Rachel Reinders, PhD, is an assistant professor and program director of the Community Psychology program at Alverno College. She is also a licensed psychologist and conducts psychological evaluations at Psychological Assessment Services in Wauwatosa. She specializes in working with Spanish-speaking families and conducting custody studies.  Dr. Reinders received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has significant experience consuming social media, which led to an interest in utilizing social media as a psychological resource. 

Maureen Rickman, PhD
Maureen D. Rickman, Ph.D. is a psychologist in private practice with Psychiatric Services, S.C., in Madison. Dr. Rickman received her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She published several research articles on the psychobiology of temperament, anxiety and depression, and was the recipient of an NIMH research award before shifting her focus to clinical work.  Her current work is broad-based and includes psychological testing and assessment, consultation, and direct treatment of individuals, children and families.  Her practice derives from the ‘scientist-practitioner’ model wherein the art of clinical intervention is informed by psychological science. 

Leah Rouse, PhD - KEYNOTE Speaker
Dr. Leah M. Rouse is a licensed and Board-Certified Psychologist, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  Her research interests include trauma psychology, suicidology, and mental health issues facing law enforcement, military populations, cancer patients/survivors, and American Indian communities. She prefers contextual and qualitative perspectives in research and practice. Dr. Rouse is board certified in Counseling Psychology, and a licensed psychologist in the State of Wisconsin.

Eleven federally recognized tribes and one non-recognized tribe call Wisconsin (WI) home.  American Indians comprise roughly 1% of the WI population; however, they experience the highest health disparities among all races for many biopsychosocial measures.  They also suffer disproportionate educational and justice system outcomes.  Most alarmingly, American Indians endure some of the most disproportionate rates for behavior and mental health outcomes, particularly death by suicide.  The field of psychology has now widely recognized the historical trauma wrought upon American Indian and Alaska Native communities in the United States as a major contributor to these realities, including genocidal government policies.  Accordingly, APA has made concerted efforts toward raising the awareness of the negative impact of colonial and mainstream epistemologies on American Indian communities.  The Society of Indian Psychologists has also made comment on the APA’s Principals of Ethical Principals of Psychologists and Code of Conduct on behalf of ethical service delivery to American Indian communities. 

In her keynote address, Dr. Rouse will present an overview of the issues facing American Indian communities in WI, how clinicians can answer the call of service, and will address how the field of psychology can partner with communities for ethical and culturally-humble service delivery and education.  During the optional roundtable following her keynote, attendees can join a discussion of suicide mitigation in American Indian communities.  The exchange will be framed by Zero Suicide Model strategies for education, prevention, intervention, and post-vention practices.  Ideas and best practices for use with all populations welcome!

Daniel Schroeder, PhD
Dr. Schroeder is the current Chair of Wisconsin's Psychology Examining Board.  Since 1994, he has been led the consulting practice at Organization Development Consultants, Inc. (ODC), a management consulting firm stafffed by psychologists and organization development professionals that has offered assessment-based solutions to individuals, teams, and organizations in over 1,000 consultative engagements.  Additionally, he is a Faculty Member in the Organizational Leadership and Change (OLC) and Organizational Behavior and Leadership (OBL) programs (which he founded and previously served as Director) within the School of Business at Edgewood College (Madison, WI). 

Kim Skerven, PhD
Kim Skerven, PhD and Bruce Erdmann, PhD have been working on PSYPACT through WPA's Advocacy Cabinet.

Daniel Taube, PhD, JD – KEYNOTE Speaker
Dr. Taube earned his J.D. from Villanova University in 1985 and his PhD in clinical psychology from Hahnemann University in 1987, as a member of the Hahnemann/ Villanova Joint Psychology and Law Graduate Program. He is Professor Emeritus at the California School of Professional Psychology, San Francisco at Alliant International University, past Psy.D. Program Director, founder and coordinator of the Forensic Family Child. His areas of professional focus include ethical and legal issues in professional practice, child protection, and addictions. In addition to his teaching and research interests, he has been in private practice since 1990, has served on the APA Ethics Appeals Panel for over 20 years, and taught graduate and professional level courses on ethical and legal issues in professional practice for over 25 years. Dr. Taube regularly consults with a wide range of practitioners and community agencies regarding standards of practice and ethical concerns.

For this workshop, Trust Risk Management Consultants have continued to review data from nearly 90,000 consultations provided to date, along with relevant research, to determine the problems practitioners often confront, and potential strategies for addressing them. The topics in this new workshop will include an updated review of decision science and its implications for bias and vulnerability in clinical, ethical and risk management decision making, strategies for reducing the impact of these vulnerabilities, issues arising in remote services (during and beyond the pandemic), addressing boundaries in advocacy by professionals on behalf of their clients/patients, and the risk-management implications of self-care (or its absence) for psychologists.

Sarah Trost (WPF)
Bio coming soon

Kaylen Vine, BA
Kaylen T. Vine, B.A. is a doctoral student in Marquette University's Clinical Psychology program. She is also a clinical psychology extern at Psychological Assessment Services. 

Annie Weatherby-Flowers, MS
Bio coming soon

John Weaver, PsyD
John Weaver, Psy.D. is a Licensed Psychologist who received his Doctor of Psychology degree from the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology. John is the owner of Stress Management & Mental Health Clinics, and he works both as a clinical psychologist and a business consultant with more than 25 years of practical experience with organizations, individuals and groups. He is past president of the Wisconsin Psychological Association and past chair of the strategic advisory panel for the Psychology in the Workplace for the American Psychological Association. He is an accomplished professional speaker who has delivered more than 50 presentations across the US, and he has authored two books: The Prevention of Depression: A Missing Piece in Wellness and a training manual, The Healthy Thinking Program.

Everett Worthington, PhD – KEYNOTE Speaker
Dr. Worthington is Commonwealth Professor Emeritus working from the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He holds a Faculty Affiliate appointment at the Institute for Quantitative Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University (Human Flourishing Program). He continues to be active in research and speaking around the world. He is a licensed Clinical Psychologist in Virginia. He has published over 40 books and around 500 articles and scholarly chapters, mostly on forgiveness, humility and positive psychology, marriage, and family topics, and religion and spirituality. He also has developed the REACH Forgiveness model being tested currently in a global grant-funded randomized controlled trials in 5 countries (six sites), and he has developed numerous other positive psychological interventions.

During his keynote address, Dr. Worthington will discuss what psychologists can do when clients experience injustices. Psychologists can use many interventions, only one of which is forgiveness. Knowing the full clinical toolbox increases psychologist’s flexibility and ability to match methods to the client’s mindset. Forgiveness will be defined. Dr. Worthington will discuss forgiveness in psychotherapy and couples therapy, using the evidence-based REACH Forgiveness model; evidence-based psychoeducation groups and DIY workbooks to supplement in-session psychotherapy; self-condemnation, which is part of many disorders; and self-forgiveness. In an optional roundtable session following the keynote address, Dr. Worthington will talk very specifically about what to do to move individuals through the REACH Forgiveness model. The model is supported by well over 30 randomized controlled trials used in psychotherapy for forgiveness of others, self-forgiveness, psychoeducational groups, DIY workbooks, and within Hope-Focused Couple Therapy. This session will be a practical clinical how-to session.

Katherine Wright, PhD
Katherine Wright is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Wausau, WI.  She regularly provides evaluations for a number of northern rural counties.  She has been a licensed psychologist since 1987 and has continued to find her field interesting and challenging.  Most of her years of practice have occured in smaller towns with few colleagues.  She has lived and worked in Wausau for nearly 20 years.

2022 Annual Convention Speakers