President's Column

It is a tremendous honor to serve as President of the Society of Addiction Psychology (SoAP). I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to help lead an organization that has shaped me both personally and professionally.  

For those who might be unfamiliar with me, I would like to take this time to introduce myself, briefly share why I am passionate about addiction psychology, and offer a vision for the SoAP. I am an Assistant Professor and the Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology at Colorado State University. I am a licensed clinical psychologist and licensed addiction counselor. I also co-host The Addiction Psychologist, the official podcast of the SoAP. My program of research integrates cognitive and affective science with behavioral pharmacology to identify mechanisms of behavior change that underlie substance use vulnerability and factors affecting treatment success in youth. The express intent of this work is to develop or adapt interventions to target these mechanisms and improve addiction treatment outcomes among young people. I aim to lay the scientific groundwork to ensure findings from addictions research translate to treatment settings. 

There has long been a gap in the addiction science-to-practice pipeline (for reviews, see Institute of Medicine, 1998; National Advisory Commission on Addiction Treatment, 2012). The reasons for this divide are complex, rooted in the interplay of health-care policy, education and training systems, economics, stigma, and at times, a lack of meaningful connection between research and the lived realities of those affected by substance use and addiction. While many of these barriers require structural change, one area that lies squarely within our control as researchers is how we choose to conduct our work. By intentionally inviting practitioners, people in recovery, and those with lived experience of addiction into the research process, from shaping research questions to designing questionnaires to developing interventions, we can ensure that our science is both rigorous and relevant to the lives of those we serve. It is from this conviction that this year’s presidential theme emerged. 

For this year’s theme, I have chosen “The Science of Lived Experience: Reimagining Research Through Lived and Learned Expertise.” This theme reflects a commitment to elevating the voices of individuals with lived experience of substance use and recovery alongside scientific and clinical expertise. The goal is to shape research priorities, study designs, and intervention development in ways that are both scientifically rigorous and deeply responsive to real world needs, thereby addressing the gap and its real-life implications for those who struggle with addiction. By embracing community-engaged, participatory, and interdisciplinary approaches that elevate voices of those with lived experiences, we can continue to ensure that addiction psychology remains a field that is meaningfully connected to the real lives of people and communities affected by substance use and addiction. 

Drawing from my own experience, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that talent is randomly distributed, and opportunity is not. For me, this perspective was learned firsthand. I dropped out of high school and later became a non-traditional, first-generation college student who is also a member of an underrepresented group. These experiences continue to shape how I view our roles as researchers and clinicians in the field of addiction. 

I would like to close with a few reflections on leadership, particularly as it relates to inviting lived experience into our work. Being an agent of change requires acknowledging how systemic inequities shape which voices get elevated, and, by extension, who gets the chance to thrive in our field. Addressing these inequities is essential if we are to cultivate a dynamic, diverse workforce prepared to tackle the complex global health challenges of addiction. SoAP has long been committed to expanding access, promoting equity, and preparing our members to be active citizens and thoughtful leaders in the addiction science community. In this way, I would submit that SoAP truly is a land of opportunity. 

At the same time, I believe this moment calls for us to reimagine what leadership means. For too long, end-stage capitalism, American hustle culture, and toxic norms have conspired to convince us that leadership is primarily a means of personaladvancement. We see this with each passing day in our politics, and in our academic institutions. At its best, leadership is not about climbing – it’s about lifting. It’s about protecting, sustaining, and empowering our communities. True leadership also requires bravery: the courage to speak when silence feels safer, to stand firm in one’s values when it might be easier to retreat, and to create space for others even when it costs us comfort or recognition. Leadership carries risk; I know this as well as anyone. Yet, someone must step into these roles and if we don’t, we cannot guarantee that those who do will hold our values. This has costly implications for our community and especially those for whom our work serves. Leadership rarely calls upon us at a time of our choosing, and I hope that you, the reader and hopeful member of SoAP, will embark on this journey with me by stepping into a leadership position with SoAP or elsewhere. I cannot guarantee that the rooms you enter as a leader will ever deserve you. However, I know for sure they will be worse without you. 

Thank you for the trust you’ve placed in me and for the work you all do to advance the science and practice of addiction psychology. I am deeply grateful to serve our community this year and to work alongside so many amazing colleagues. I hope to be a steward of this position who lifts and protects our community – one built on compassion, collaboration, and the shared pursuit of advancing addiction science and practice.Together, we can continue building a field, and a future, that reflects the best of who we are.  

Each year, the Presidential Trio is asked to put forth a list of priorities for the year ahead. You can read our 2025 priorities below. I invite you to reflect on these over the year ahead and join me at this year’s APA Convention in DC where we will showcase research consistent with this year’s theme.  

1. Reimagining Research Through Lived and Learned Expertise – Elevating the voices of individuals with lived experience of substance use and recovery alongside scientific and clinical expertise to shape research priorities, study designs, and intervention development. Emphasizing community-engaged, participatory, and interdisciplinary approaches to ensure addiction research is both scientifically rigorous and deeply responsive to real-world needs.   

2. Centering Health Equity and Social Justice in Addiction Science – Recognizing addiction as a public health issue shaped by systemic inequities, structural racism, and social determinants of health, and striving to advance policies and practices that promote equitable access to prevention, treatment, and recovery resources. 

3. Expanding Access to Evidence-Based, Culturally Responsive, and Person-Centered Addiction Treatments – Supporting a diverse range of empirically supported interventions that honor multiple pathways to change, including harm reduction, abstinence-based models, peer support, and integrative approaches that align with individuals’ lived experiences and cultural contexts. 

4. Harnessing Emerging Technologies to Enhance Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery – Exploring the role of digital health innovations, telehealth, and mobile applications in increasing access to care, improving engagement, and tailoring interventions for diverse populations across their lifespans. 

5. Strengthening Cross-Cultural Research and Advancing Culturally Grounded Approaches to Addiction Treatment – Investing in research that prioritizes historically underserved and marginalized communities, integrating Indigenous knowledge systems, and fostering collaborations that elevate diverse perspectives in addiction science and clinical practice. 

References 

Institute of Medicine. (1998). Bridging the gap between practice and research: Forging partnerships with community-based drug and alcohol treatment. National Academy Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/6169. 

National Advisory Commission on Addiction Treatment. (2012). Addiction medicine: Closing the gap between science and practice. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.