Thursday, November 1, 2018

APA Announces Candidate Changes for President-Elect in 2019 Election


There has been a change in the lineup of candidates running for president-elect in APA’s 2019 election. Philip Muskin, M.D., M.A., APA’s current secretary, has withdrawn his candidacy. Appearing on the ballot for that race will be Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H., of Worcester, Mass., and Theresa Miskimen, M.D., of Piscataway, N.J.

Geller is a professor at UMASS Medical School and medical director of a 290-bed public psychiatric hospital. He has served in the Assembly and on components for 26 years and on the Board of Trustees for 11 years. He has been an on-site consultant to 26 states. He’s received the Human Rights Award and Profiles in Courage Award from APA. He sees inpatients and outpatients daily.


Miskimen, a professor at Robert Wood Johnson medical school, is vice president at Rutgers UBHC, one of the largest providers of mental health and addiction services in the country. An APA member for nearly three decades, she has served the organization, Assembly, and Board of Trustees in many positions including DB president and speaker of the Assembly and received various recognitions including the Women’s Advocate Award.

In comments to Psychiatric News, Muskin said that the reason for his withdrawal is that he came to realize, as APA’s secretary, that serving the Association as an elected officer is a major time and service commitment. After experiencing the loss of a beloved sister and the birth of his first grandchild, he said that his most important priority at this time is his family.

Here is the slate of candidates for APA’s 2019 election. The slate is considered public but not official until it is approved by the APA Board of Trustees at its December meeting.

President-Elect
Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H.
Theresa Miskimen, M.D.

Secretary
Jeffrey Akaka, M.D.
Sandra DeJong, M.D., M.Sc.
Ramaswamy Viswanathan, M.D., D.M.Sc.

Minority/Underrepresented (M/UR) Trustee
Rahn Bailey, M.D.
Robert Cabaj, M.D.

Area 3 Trustee
Kenneth Certa, M.D.
Barry Herman, M.D., M.M.M.
Roger Peele, M.D.

Area 6 Trustee
Barbara Weissman, M.D.
Melinda Young, M.D.

Resident-Fellow Member Trustee-Elect
Lisa Harding, M.D.
Daniel Hart, M.D.
Michael Mensah, M.D., M.P.H.

The deadline for candidates who wish to run by petition is November 15. All candidates and their supporters are encouraged to review APA's Election Guidelines. For more election information, please visit the Election section on APA's website or email election@psych.org.

APA members may cast their ballots from January 2 to January 31, 2019.

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