Each year the APS recognises members who have made an outstanding contribution to the APS and to the advancement of psychological knowledge or practice by electing them as Fellows of the Society. Twelve members were elected as APS Fellows in 2013.
Professor Vicki Anderson FAPS
Vicki Anderson is the Director of the Psychology Department at The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, and is also the Director of Clinical Sciences Research at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Vicki is a clinical neuropsychologist specialising in paediatrics, with over 30 year’s clinical experience working with children with brain insult and chronic illness and their families. Her research interests are in disorders of childhood that impact on the brain, and child and parent-focused interventions. Her research group, the Australian Centre for Child Neuropsychological Studies, was established in 2000 and is funded through competitive research grants. Vicki has obtained competitive grants totalling over
$20 million.
Vicki is consulting editor for the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, and other international journals including Child Neuropsychology, Developmental Neuropsychology, and Developmental Neurorehabilitation. She is Associate Editor for the Journal of Neuropsychology (British Psychological Society) and a past Associate Editor for Neuropsychology (American Psychological Association). Vicki holds an NHMRC Senior Practitioner Fellowship and has published five books and 250 papers in peer-reviewed journals. She has delivered over 70 invited keynote addresses at international scientific meetings.
Vicki has been Chair of the NHMRC Psychology and Psychiatry panel and serves on the Australian Human Ethics Committee. She was an elected member of the Board of Governors of the International Neuropsychological Society, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences of Australia and of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment. She was a founding member of the APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists, which she joined in 1984.
Associate Professor Jason Connor FAPS
Jason Connor is the Director of the Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research at The University of Queensland. He is also a NHMRC Career Development Fellow. His research in the field of health psychology has spanned physical disabilities, quality of life and more recently substance use disorders, and has heavily influenced practice both in Australia and overseas. In addition to his academic roles, he has an ongoing appointment with Queensland Health and continues to offer clinical services.
Jason commenced his academic career after being awarded a NHMRC doctoral scholarship to research the roles of genetics and social learning in severe alcohol dependence. Since moving from full-time clinical practice to academia, he has published over 100 peer reviewed papers, primarily in the areas of health psychology and addiction. In 2007, Jason received the APS Early Career Research Award.
Jason has coordinated nationally accredited psychology and medicine courses at postgraduate level and has been actively involved in the training of graduate psychologists. In 2007 he was awarded a National Carrick Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning. From 2004 to 2010 he served as a member of the APS College of Health Psychologists National Committee and was Queensland State Chair for over four years (2003–2008). During the same period he was Convener of the APS Health College Course Approval Committee, previously serving as a member/assessor for this Committee. In 2010, Jason received the APS College of Health Psychologists Award of Distinction. Jason holds membership of the APS College of Health Psychologists and the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.
Associate Professor Jacquelyn Cranney FAPS
Jacquelyn Cranney is Associate Professor at the School of Psychology at the University of NSW (UNSW) where she has made a substantial contribution to the advancement of psychological knowledge and education of psychologists. Jacquelyn is a talented and dedicated educator as demonstrated by her receipt of the UNSW Faculty of Life Sciences Teaching Award in 1999, the UNSW Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2005 and a team Carrick Citation Award in 2007. In addition, in 2008 she received the APS Distinguished Contribution to Psychological Education Award and in 2010 was awarded a three year Australian Teaching and Learning Council national teaching fellowship.
Jacquelyn is currently co-leader on a project focussing on student success, funded by the Australian Government for the promotion of excellence in learning and teaching in higher education. She is also contributing to the first Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) project that will increase the number of Indigenous psychology students and enhance psychologists’ ability to work effectively with Indigenous communities.
Jacquelyn has been a member of national Committees on psychology education, including accreditation, since 2007. Her contributions to the APS include being a member of the Program Development and Approval Committee (2007–2012), the Science, Academia and Research Advisory Group (2009–2012) and the new Psychological Research Education and Training Division Forum. Jacquelyn was instrumental in the formation of the APS Teaching, Learning and Psychology Interest Group. Jacquelyn has been an active contributor to APS national Conferences, and has organised an international conference and several state forums on psychology education.
Professor David Forbes FAPS
David Forbes is the Director of the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health (ACPMH). After working in both acute crisis and continuing care settings across the community mental health system, David specialised in the assessment and treatment of mental health problems following trauma, which has been his focus for the past 16 years. He has played an active role at the ACPMH, translating research findings into service change for survivors of a broad range of traumatic experiences.
In 2007, David initiated and led the development of the inaugural NHMRC approved Australian Guidelines for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chairing the Guidelines Working Party. He subsequently initiated and co-chaired the Steering Group for the recently published (2013) updated PTSD Guidelines, which have been endorsed by the APS as well as the two key medical Colleges of psychiatry and general practice. David has advised State and Federal Governments on psychosocial recovery following large scale community disasters such as bushfires and floods and is currently a member of the APS Disaster Preparedness Reference Group.
In view of his particular speciality in veteran and military mental health, David also sits on many Commonwealth Government committees focused on the welfare of current and ex-serving members of the Defence community. David is on the Editorial Board of several key international journals and has published internationally in the area of posttraumatic stress. David has been a member of the APS for over 20 years and a member of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists for over 15 years.
Dr Geoffrey Glassock AM FAPS
Geoffrey Glassock is a counselling psychologist who graduated over 50 years ago with a Master’s degree in Guidance and Counselling from Wayne State University, Detroit USA. This degree was the forerunner of the courses which became the counselling psychology degrees in the USA and subsequently in Australia. He also completed a Masters in educational psychology in 1980 (Macquarie University) and in 2011 was awarded a PhD for his research on Australian families of the long-term missing.
Geoffrey has provided counselling across the life span, including marriage, family and relationship issues, loss, grief and bereavement, sexuality and trauma. Geoffrey became involved with issues of loss, grief and trauma following the Granville train disaster in 1977 and was subsequently involved in the establishment of the National Association for Loss and Grief, and pioneered education and training in loss and grief. His work in loss, grief and bereavement in Australia was highly commended and Geoffrey was the first Australian to join the International Work Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement. More recently his interest has been in another kind of loss, that of the families of missing persons.
Geoffrey has been a member of the APS for over 15 years and during that time served as Secretary and Chairperson of the NSW section of the APS College of Counselling Psychologists, and remains on the National Committee. He is currently a Committee member on the Sydney Branch. In 2010 Geoffrey was awarded the Order of Australia for his work nationally and internationally in the area of grief and bereavement.
Professor Tony Machin FAPS
Tony Machin is the Head of the Psychology Department and Director of the Career and Organisational Research Unit (CORE) at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). Tony is an organisational psychologist teaching advanced research methods and statistical analysis to USQ postgraduate psychology students and is highly regarded for his expertise in structural equation modelling. He has supervised 42 Honours students’ projects, nine Graduate Diploma students’ projects, five Masters students’ dissertations, and seven Doctoral student dissertations. One of Tony’s significant achievements has been the establishment of industry-focused research through the CORE, where he has consulted with a wide range of clients in Queensland including: the Departments of Transport and Main Roads, Housing and Public Works, Industrial Relations, and Emergency Services; Queensland Health; Queensland Treasury; and the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association.
Tony has been Treasurer of the Heads of Departments and Schools of Psychology Association (HODSPA) since 2008 and has represented the APS on accreditation visits to several universities. He is the Australasian representative on Division 13, Traffic and Transportation Psychology of the International Association for Applied Psychology. Tony has been a reviewer for 21 refereed journals and an external examiner for seven universities. He has published 32 refereed journal articles, 19 book chapters and refereed conference papers, and 160 industry reports.
Tony has been a member of the APS and the APS College of Organisational Psychologists for over 20 years. He has been an office bearer for the College (1999–2001) as well as Chair of the Toowoomba Branch (1996–1998) of the APS.
Mr Chris Mackey FAPS
Chris is a clinical and counselling psychologist who worked in public mental health for 15 years at the Geelong and Heidelberg Repatriation Hospitals where he played a key role in the early development of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) program for Vietnam veterans. In 1995, Chris established his group private practice in Geelong, which has been recognised through membership of the Geelong Advertiser Business Excellence Awards Hall of Fame.
Chris has specialised in assisting people’s recovery from PTSD including complex trauma reactions and dissociative disorders. Over the past 20 years Chris has presented at numerous national and international conferences including the World Congress of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies on such topics as the role of dissociative symptomatology in PTSD, evaluation of a group therapy approach for avoidant personality disorder, and serial outcome evaluations of clients seen through the Better Access initiative. Chris adopts a scientist-practitioner model and has supervised over 60 psychologists, been a guest lecturer at universities and served on several local Boards of health. Chris is currently writing a book to be published late next year, which will extend the cognitive-behavioural and positive psychology fields to incorporate interventions based on transpersonal concepts which are consistent with brain science and findings from quantum mechanics.
Chris has been a member of the APS since 1986 and is a member of the APS Colleges of Clinical and Counselling Psychologists. He played a key role in the establishment of the Barwon Branch of the APS and contributed to the recently released APS eLearning course, Fundamentals of Private Practice.
Dr Vicki McKenzie FAPS
Vicki McKenzie is a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne, teaching and supervising students in the Masters of Educational Psychology. She was awarded her PhD in 2012 for research on the experience of marginalised students in alternative educational settings. Her research, teaching, private practice and field experience bring a broadly informed perspective to her own practice and to the development of others. Previously Vicki practised as an educational psychologist and held a senior position as Network Leader for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Vicki’s research contribution has focused on psychology practice in educational contexts, and adolescent coping and resources, including the development of a new measure of adolescent resources. She has presented this work at local and international conferences and in publications. She has delivered a range of professional training programs over many years, demonstrating a commitment to the professional education of members of the education community, which has included psychologists, teachers, teacher-aides, and other allied health professionals.
Vicki has been a member of the APS for over 30 years and has contributed actively during through her various roles on the national committee of the APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists (CEDP). She has been the CEDP newsletter editor and website editor, Chair of the PD committee, and Scientific and Program Chair of two CEDP national conferences. She was a member of the APS Alternative Pathways Working Group, has presented at APS Conferences and is a trained APAC assessor. In 2009 Vicki was awarded the APS CEDP College Award of Distinction.
Ms Elissa Morriss FAPS
Elissa Morriss is a clinical neuropsychologist and rehabilitation coordinator at the Acquired Brain Injury Outreach Service of the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland. She has more than 23 years experience working in the community in brain injury rehabilitation with adults and their family members and has been a tribunal member with the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (previously the Guardianship and Administration Tribunal) since 2005. As a tribunal member she is respected for her knowledge in the area of assessment of decision making capacity and the use of restrictive practices in management of behaviour.
Elissa‘s work has been focused on the development of behaviour management resources, training, and community-based behaviour management models and tools. She is recognised for her advanced and specialised skills, and her psychological resources are used throughout Australia. In 2006 Elissa was awarded the prestigious Bob and June Prickett Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship to travel overseas to complete further professional study in the management of challenging behaviour. Elissa has continued to contribute her psychological expertise to the Churchill Fellows Association in Queensland as Vice President (2009–2013) and has been the psychology representative on the Australian Stroke Coalition Long Term Recovery and Support Working Party (2010-2012). She was Board Director (2003–2010) for Open Minds, a non–government service for acquired brain injury.
Elissa became a member of the APS in 1988 and has made significant contributions since that time, particularly in committee positions within the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists Queensland Section. She has been Education Officer, Treasurer and currently is the Chair.
Professor Prasuna Reddy FAPS
Prasuna Reddy is the Director of the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health in the School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle. She has held senior academic positions at the University of Melbourne, Flinders University and Swinburne University. She has broad international research and clinical experience, covering the fields of behavioural medicine, health psychology, organisational psychology, public health and health services research.
Prasuna is part of a network of national and international researchers collaborating in cultural health research with the aim of influencing global policy on non-communicable diseases. Her current research includes the investigation of clinical links between mental health and chronic disease and the adaptation of population health strategies to prevent and manage adversity in rural and remote settings. She has been a co-investigator on several competitive research grants and has been awarded for her teaching, research and clinical expertise. She has co-authored eleven books, over 100 peer-reviewed papers and made 300 international and national presentations. Prasuna has been appointed to advisory boards of non-government organisations, Health Services ethics committees, and is currently on the NSW Mental Health Commission Research Advisory Group.
Prasuna has been a member of the APS for over 25 years and is currently a member of the APS Colleges of Counselling, Health and Organisational Psychologists. Prasuna has served on many APS Committees including the Board of Directors and Ethics Committee (2003), and more recently as Secretary on the Executive of the College of Organisational Psychologists. She is currently a member of the APS Rural, Regional and Remote Board Advisory Group.
Dr Cindy Wall FAPS
Cindy Wall is a clinical psychologist and currently travels between Darwin and Adelaide to engage in clinical work and provide supervision and clinical placements for students interested in gaining experience with rural and remote psychology practice. Prior to relocating to Adelaide earlier this year, Cindy was Associate Professor in the School of Clinical and Psychological Sciences at Charles Darwin University, whilst maintaining a private practice in Darwin. Cindy’s strong advocacy and support has facilitated and ensured the continuation of the postgraduate program in clinical psychology, and her vision and drive has promoted psychology and psychological services in the Northern Territory. She is a past Chair of the Psychology Registration Board in the Northern Territory.
Cindy’s research interest is the interaction between personality and health conditions. Her clinical work focuses on assessing and treating the psychological aspects of occupational injury and work disability, and she has published research into the psychosocial aspects of return to work processes for compensable injury in refereed journals. Cindy has presented at conferences nationally and has been invited to facilitate national panel discussions, seminars and workshops.
Cindy has been an active member of the APS and the College of Clinical Psychologists (CCP). She served on the State and National Executives of the CCP from 2005–2010 and it was a result of her hard work and vision that the NT Section of the CCP started in 2007. She has also served on the APS Rural, Regional and Remote Advisory Group (2010–2011) and the APS Accident, Compensation, Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Group (2004–2005).
Mrs Kim Weatherston FAPS
Kim Weatherston is currently working in independent private practice in Geraldton, Western Australia and previously worked as a school psychologist in non-government and Catholic schools in the Geraldton area. She is a graduate of Rhodes University, South Africa, and worked at Cape Town University as a student counsellor before moving to Australia in 1984.
Kim established the Geraldton Family Counselling Service (GFCS) in 1988 and the Rural Counselling Service in 1991, as there were no psychological services in the Geraldton region when she arrived. She chaired the GFCS Management Committee until it transferred to the Geraldton Regional Community Education Centre and is currently Deputy Chair of the Board. She commenced the WA Section of the Australian Association of Trauma and Dissociation in 1994, organising four conferences in Perth with national and international speakers. Partnering with local GPs and visiting paediatricians from Perth, Kim was involved in the development of a model of shared care adopted by the Geraldton Learning and Attentional Disorders Society. Kim has organised and presented at numerous training and professional development seminars and workshops for teachers, parents, medical and allied health professionals. More recently she has run DVD evenings, and ‘pioneered’ a combined face-to-face seminar simultaneously by webinar to satellite groups in remote centres across WA.
Kim has been a member of the APS for over 25 years and is a member of the APS Colleges of Counselling, Educational and Developmental, and Organisational Psychologists. She has served as Chair of the Midwest WA Branch (2007–2011) and as Secretary for the WA State Committee since 2009.
The information in these profiles was extracted from citations provided by the nominators of each of the new APS Fellows.