Practice · Science · Global
Dear Colleagues, I am running for the APA Board of Directors Early Career Psychologist slate to help strengthen APA’s governance and financial management, broaden meaningful member engagement, and ensure that practice, science, education, and public interest work are well represented. I would be honoured to receive your vote.
John Francis Leader, PhD
Practice
I am an active member of APA’s Division 42 for Independent Practice, and a member of their Committee for International Clinical Practice. I’m a former Chair of the Psychological Society of Ireland Private Practice Group. I work to actively advocate for the voice of practitioners and to help ensure APA prioritizes and resources this important work.
Science
Psychological science in research and education is more necessary than ever. My work on mental health and AI in conjunction with the United Nations and World Health Organisation has focused on how to overcome policy barriers and funding gaps to bring the expertise of psychologists to the communities who need it. I research at UCD and led the launch of a collaboration between APA and EFPA on digitalisation.
Global
Diverse voices, both across the US and globally, deserve to be heard- and APA benefits from their rich expertise. As current Chair of the APA Committee for Global Psychology I project managed and collaborated with colleagues to bring the updated Global Perspectives Resolution to Council and to develop a rubric to help support implementation across APA.
2026 Presentations
Communication
Psychology is very diverse, and APA contains many perspectives. This is an advantage as it is a microcosm of society. I’m enthusiastic to use my background in Communication Psychology to help create conducive processes and spaces to develop supportive relationships, respecting differences while developing unity in purpose.
Governance
I am experienced in organisational leadership, having served on multiple boards including the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations and the Psychological Society of Ireland. I am current Chair of APA’s Committee for Global Psychology, and attend APA Committee, Board and Council meetings. I have served in multiple governance roles spanning responsibility for regulatory compliance and risk management.
Financial Management
I have significant financial management experience, including as Vice President Finance of EFPA which is a federation of the psychologists’ associations of thirty-eight countries. I’m passionate about developing APA’s resource management, through a combination of careful financial planning, making use of non-financial assets and through innovation to increase revenues.
Recent Media
Stronger Together
With a background in (and passion for!) complex social systems, I firmly believe that truly diverse environments are a critical part of how we develop our profession. This needs to be authentic, and requires us to develop the dialogical skills to be able to respect different perspectives. I’m passionate about helping to develop the space, and the systems, to support this.
Lived Experience
I believe that my US experience, combined with my background and knowledge of broader global systems, helps me to have a unique perspective. This is particularly critical as APA actively prioritizes global engagement. I was raised the child of a US immigrant, and the trauma of a civil war to break out of a colony no doubt heavily influenced my choice of profession! I draw on my own diverse identity to help understand the contexts of others.
Youth Empowerment
I am excited to run on the Early Career Slate. I completed my PhD in 2019, and since then have focused extensively on supporting students and early career psychologists in finding their voices, and developing professional pathways in an increasingly complex world. I’ll be contributing to a practical session on this topic at the APA Convention in August.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Leadership
AI will have a significant and imminent impact on society and on psychology.
It is crucial that APA has strong board experience to help ensure that the implications of AI on psychological practice, science, and education are carefully managed.
I have in-depth experience with AI across practice, research and policy work. I led the development of an AI framework within psychology, and regularly lecture and provide policy guidance on how we can safely (dis)engage with AI.
I support the UN, WHO, UNICEF and Fortune 500 companies on the topic, and am enthusiastic to draw on psychology's unique expertise in this area.
Get in touch: I can be reached by email mail@jfl.com and feel welcome to connect on social media and in person at the APA Convention or Council meetings in Washington, D.C. in August 2026