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DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP PAST PRESIDENTS OF ISPA: Vignettes from the 25th anniversary booklet Anders
Poulsen, President: 1983-1984 As the first president of ISPA, I found myself deep in the transition from an "international committee" to an "association." When Cal Catterall’ s health rapidly declined, it was necessary to reorganize in order to save the international school psychology concept. Because the newly elected Executive Committee believed in the objectives originally set forth, we dedicated ourselves to getting ISPA off on a strong footing. We were fortunate to have a number of other people devoted to this endeavor. Together we drafted a constitution, expanded and improved the WorldGoRound newsletter, and tackled the serious financial crisis that faced us. Those years were difficult years but because we trusted the foundation that was built through the efforts of the ISPC, we forged ahead to make it work. Herbert G. W. Bischoff,
PhD, President: l985-1986 As president, I felt the most pressing concern was related to organizational integrity. We were working hard in those days to establish our international identity and secure credibility. The Constitution and Bylaws were revised, new national affiliates were formed, a firm committee structure was built, the role of historian was established, negotiations concerning the Journal were held, and we focused on fiscal management. Many people helped ISPA continue to both promote the profession and assure a forum for personal contacts. It is quite a challenge to find harmony in promoting international unity, respect national autonomy, and maintain relevancy for individual members. Long live ISPA and may its principles, direction and membership continue to make an impact on school psychology worldwide and, someday, beyond. Jean-Claude
Guillemard, PhD, President: 1987-1988 As a result of meeting Dr. Catterall in 1979, when he convinced me that French school psychology, in memory of Alfred Binet, should be present on the international stage, I became an active ISPA member. During my leadership, I became involved in UNESCO endeavors related to children. To this day, I still play a major part in UNESCO as ISPA’s representative. I am very aware that my association with ISPA has allowed me to work with fine, dedicated people who have given me keys to understanding school psychology from an international perspective. Even 10 years ago, the value and importance of the work being done by ISPA was recognized by many people. May our young members carry that banner forward into a bright and successful future for ISPA. Anna-
Lisa Mellden, President: I989-I990 In 1970, Dr. Catterall wrote a letter to the Board of Education in Stockholm, Sweden, requesting that the Swedish School Psychology Association join an international network of school psychologists that he was forming. My involvement at that time led to chairing the 1982 colloquium in Sweden, at which time the International School Psychology Committee (ISPC) became a formal organization, changing its name to the International School Psychology Association (ISPA). During my years as president, there was an effort to expand the scope of ISPA’ s outreach. It was very meaningful for me to get to know the commendable professionalism in working with children as school psychologists. In a world where children’s needs are not always top priority, I think the work of ISPA is more important than ever. All the best for the future! Stuart
N. Hart, PhD, President: l991-1992 In the years I served in a leadership role, I found the constructive power and potential of ISPA represented in the rich personal and interpersonal resource and its strong collective attention to serve children through our profession. My focus then and is today the psychological rights of the child. In the early 1990s, we worked closely with other international organizations to promote generally accepted yet effective approaches to insure the psychological rights of children and to study the value given to children’s rights in various countries. May ISPA continue to serve and maintain that international focus on children, protecting their rights as future citizens. Bob
Burden, PhD, President: 1993-1994 I still remember the first colloquium I attended in York, England, in 1979. It was a bright new dawn for international school psychology. I have always been attracted to the feeling of ‘family’ that exists in ISPA, and while I was president we tried to encourage and maintain this feeling. It was also our interest to insure a high quality of professional exchange during our annual meetings which always offer a unique experience to be shared between all members of our ‘family.’ I now feel I could travel almost anywhere in the world and am welcomed by an ISPA member. Long may that feeling continue for all of our ISPA colleagues. Thomas
Oakland, PhD, President: 1995-1996 Some years ago, I conducted the first comprehensive international survey of school psychology which became the basis of the development of two documents, one that defines the nature of school psychology and the other that provides guidelines for their preparation. Under my leadership, both documents are now ISPA policy, having been endorsed by the membership. I feel fortunate to have represented our association, whose members are committed to important principles and whose work has an important and lasting impact on children and youth. The past efforts of many dedicated members have, indeed, paved the way for ISPA to face and address the problems of young people today through the recognized and accepted profession of school psychology. ********************************************************************************************* ISPA Presidents since 1997: Anton Furman, PhD, President 1997-1998 (Banska Bystrica, Slovakia) Bernie Stein, PhD, President 1999-2000 (Jerusalem, Israel) Peg Dawson, PhD, President 2001-2002 (Brentwood, New Hampshire, USA) Peter Farrell, PhD, President 2003-2004 (Manchester, United Kingdom) Nora Katona, PhD, President 2005-2006 (Pomaz, Hungary) Helen Bakker, PhD, President 2007-2008 (Amsterdam, Holland) Bill Pfhol, PhD, President 2009-2010 (Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA) |