Mission Statement
The Association of Jewish Psychologists is the scientific and professional home of Jewish psychologists and our allies whose primary focus is Jewish culture, ethnicity, religion, including issues of antisemitism.
The Association promotes the psychological understanding of Jewish history, culture, religion, and ethnicity, and its relationship to our field of Psychology and the larger society.
The Association advocates for the funding of scientific work on the psychological health of Jewish communities and other marginalized communities. We promote research on the predictors and consequences of antisemitism and hatred directed at targeted groups.
The Association promotes research on the efficacy of a broad range of educational interventions to combat antisemitism.
The Association disseminates knowledge of the history of the Jewish people, its culture, varying cultural and religious subgroups related to forced migration to the Diaspora, and a shared identity as a people, rooted in a common identification with its Jewish homeland, now found in modern day Israel.
The Association advocates for the inclusion of Jewish people in EDI frameworks as a marginalized ethnic, religious, and multiracial people.
AJP Officers
Beth N. Rom-Rymer, Ph.D.
Co-Founder and President
Dr. Rom-Rymer has been a pioneer throughout her life. She was in the first class of women undergraduates at Princeton University (Class of ’73); created the first Victim-Witness Assistance Unit, Florida’s 2nd District State Attorney’s Office; co founded/became the first Board President of Refuge House, a shelter for domestic violence survivors, Tallahassee, Florida, 1977 1979. Dr. Rom-Rymer helped to create the field of forensic geriatrics in 2000; taught at several Universities, in the Departments of Psychiatry, including The University of Chicago and Northwestern University. Dr. Rom-Rymer led the 2014 successful Illinois legislative Movement for Psychologists’ Prescriptive Authority; continues to implement Prescriptive Authority legislation in Illinois; consults with State Psychological Associations, nationwide, and with international psychologist leaders, on legislative advocacy campaigns.
Dr. Rom Rymer is President of the Illinois Association of Prescribing Psychologists (IAPP) and the newly-formed Association of Jewish Psychologists (AJP). She has also had a long history of APA and SPTA governance, including President of Division 55 (Prescribing Psychology), Division 56 (Psychology of Trauma), and the Illinois Psychological Association. She has been President and Chair of the National Register for Health Psychologists; a member of the APA Board of Directors; and Chair of the APA Council Leadership Team. Dr. Rom-Rymer has received numerous awards for her work, including: "Distinguished Illinois Psychologist"; from the Illinois Psychological Association (2012, 2014), "Outstanding Service to the Community"; from the Princeton University Club of Chicago (2013); "Outstanding Psychologist of the Year"; from the APA's Division 31 (2014); APA Presidential Citation for Outstanding Leadership (2015); APA Karl Heiser award for Legislative Advocacy (2015); Alfred M. Wellner, Ph.D. Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Register of Health Service Psychologists (2016); Outstanding Psychologist Award from the Illinois Psychological Association (2016 and 2017); Social Impact Leaders Award from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (2018); "Outstanding Leadership" Award from AMITA Health (Ascension) Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital CEO, Clayton Ciha (2019); Inspirational Leader Award from the South African Psychological Society (2021); and “Honored Valued Ally” from the Society of Indian Psychologists (2022). Dr. Rom-Rymer is completing a book, to be published by APA Press, The Revolution in Healthcare: How Prescribing Psychologists are Changing the Healthcare Delivery System and is running for APA President-elect in 2024.
Steven Stein, Ph.D., C.Psych., LL.D. (Hon.)
Vice President
Steven Stein is a clinical psychologist and the Founder and Executive Chair of Multi-Health Systems (MHS), a leading psychological assessment developer and publisher. He is a Past President of the Ontario Psychological Association, Past Chair of the Psychology Foundation of Canada, and a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association. He was previously an Assistant Professor in the Psychiatry Department at the University of Toronto and Adjunct Faculty in the Psychology Department at York University.
He currently teaches at the Directors College, part of DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. He is a Past President of the Board of the Jewish Family and Child Service of Greater Toronto. He is also the psychologist consultant for dozens of reality TV shows and is involved in casting/pre-screening, pre-production preparation, on-call cast support, debriefing, and postproduction care. In his spare time, he plays the saxophone in a jazz-rock band in and around Toronto.
Ilene A. Serlin, Ph.D, BC-DMT
Co-Founder and Secretary
Ilene A. Serlin, Ph.D, BC-DMT, Phi Beta Kappa, licensed psychologist and registered dance/movement therapist in practice in San Francisco and Marin county, teaches and trains in the US and internationally. She is the past president of the San Francisco Psychological Association, Fellow of the American Psychological Association, past president of the Division of Humanistic Psychology, Associated Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, taught at Saybrook University, Lesley University, UCLA, NY Gestalt Institute and C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich. Editor of Whole Person Healthcare (2007, 3 vol., Praeger), Integrative Care for the Traumatized (2019), over 100 chapters and articles on body, art and psychotherapy, on the editorial boards of PsycCritiques, American Dance Therapy Journal, Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Arts & Health: An International Journal of Research, Policy and Practice, Journal of Applied Arts and Health, International Journal: Creative Arts Education and Therapy, and The Humanistic Psychologist. In 2019, she received the Rollo May award from APA’s Society for Humanistic Studies, the California Psychological Association Distinguished Humanitarian Contribution award, and the Marian Chace award from the American Dance Therapy Association. She is currently Co-Chair of APA’s Presidential Task Force on Culturally Informed Trauma and Grief Recovery.
Dr. Lenore E. Walker, Ed.D. ABPP CL & Fam
Co-Founder and Treasurer
Dr. Lenore Walker is a licensed psychologist and Professor Emerita from Nova Southeastern University’s College of Psychology. She is a trauma psychologist who has developed evidence-based treatment programs for those experiencing gender-based interpersonal violence. Her research on battered woman syndrome has been accepted for expert testimony in courts around the world.
She has provided advocacy and knowledge to local, U.S. and other governments, including Israel, in developing policies for those who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment and trafficking. She has authored over 25 professional books and numerous articles. Her passion is writing mystery novels. To learn more about Dr. Walker, visit her webpage, www.drlenoreewalker.com.
Board of Directors
Ester Cole, Ph.D., C. Psych.
Dr. Ester Cole, C. Psych. (Retired) was a psychologist in private practice until April, 2024. At the Toronto Board of Education she was a Senior Team Coordinator of psychologists. Her work has focused extensively on the development of multicultural, clinical and school psychology broad services. She taught as an adjunct professor ( graduate level) at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/ UT, and at York University. She was a multi-year consultant to the former NGO, The International Children’s Institute, which supported the adjustment of refugee and immigrant children in schools. Dr. Cole has written and co-authored numerous research and advocacy articles in recognised journals and professional publications; served on editorial boards, has contributed to several manuals, and has co- edited books. She is the recipient of several Awards of Merit.
Dr. Cole has lectured in several countries, and has been a member/advisor of various committees and task forces focusing on mental health program development for children and youth. She was the President of the Canadian Association of School Psychologists, and Chair of the Psychology Foundation of Canada (PFC, currently on both its Advisory and Program Committees). Dr. Cole was President of the Section on Psychology in Education (OPA, currently on Council), and President of the Ontario Psychological Association . She was also the President of the Canadian Register of Health Service Psychologists. At OPA, she was chair-Disaster Response Network , and the Canadian Representative on the APA/DRN Advisory Committee . She is a CPA Fellow, a member of the Doctoral Accreditation Site Visit Teams, and member of its Committees: Professional Affairs, and Human Rights and Social Justice. She is a member of the CJSP editorial board. Past College of Psychologists of Ontario committees: Registration and Client Relations. At APA ( to 2021): Council of Representatives (was also member of CDWG, Caucus effectiveness WG; Civility WG ), and an elected member of the Board of Professional Affairs . Dr. Cole was a member of the EDI-Collaborative, and an executive member of the Police and Citizens WG. She is an elected member to the APA Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP, 2022-2024).
Sarah L. Friedman, Ph.D.
Dr. Sarah L. Friedman is a developmental psychologist with MA degree from Cornell University, Ph.D. from the George Washington University and post-doctoral training at the National Institute of Mental Health. She held positions at the National Institutes of Health (NIMH;NICHD), National Institute of Education (predecessor of the Institute of Education Sciences) and the CNA Corporation (a research and analysis non profit organization). At present, she is a Research Professor at the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the George Washington University. Her past scientific papers and edited books address a wide range of topics in the area of child development. These include (a) the effects of preterm birth on cognitive, educational and social development of children; (b) the interface of brain, cognition and education; (c) the development of planning skills; (d) longitudinal follow-up research strategies; (e) environmental influences on psychological development; (f) child care and children’s psychological and health development and (g) communication between deployed parents and their children. A list of her publications can be found on the National Library of Medicine's website. She currently serves on the editorial board of two scientific journals and previously served on the editorial board of two other scientific journals. She authored US Government solicitations for research in areas of her expertise, oversaw a large grant portfolio, presented extensively at national and international conferences, was interviewed by newspapers, radio and TV, nationally and internationally.
Distinctions include:
- Fellow – Association of Psychological Science (1991 to present)
- NIH Merit Award "for exceptional leadership in managing the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child" (1993) - Fellow - The American Association of Applied and Preventive Psychology
(1995 to present) - Fellow - American Psychological Association (1996)
- NIH Merit Award “for your outstanding leadership in the development of the
program of research being conducted in Phase II of the NICHD Study of
Early Child Care” (1996) - Fellow—Division 7—Developmental Psychology—of the American
Psychological Association - Advisory Board of Child Research Net(work), c/o Benese Corporation,
Tokyo, Japan (2001 to present) - Fellow-Division 1--Society for General Psychology (2003)
- American Psychological Association (APA) Meritorious Research Service Commendations (2003)
- Scientific and Policy Advisory Group, Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (2006)
- Scientific Advisory Board, Military Child Education Coalition. (2010 to present
- Fellow - Division 33---Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities---of the American Psychological Association (2011-to present)
- American Psychological Association (APA) Division 7 (Developmental) Executive Committee (2016-2017; 2019-2021; 2023-)
- American Psychological Association (APA) Member of Council (2016-2017; 2019-2021; 2024-)
- American Psychological Association Division 1 (Society for General Psychology) President Elect (August 2019-August 2020); President (August 2020-August 2021); Past President (August 2021-August 2022)
Lu Steinberg, Psy.D.
Susan C. Warshaw Ed.D., ABPP
