Vice President for Diversity and Public InterestRoberto L. Abreu, Ph.D.
I, Roberto L. Abreu (he/him/él), am an assistant professor of Counseling Psychology and the director of the Collective Healing and Empowering VoicEs through Research and Engagement (¡Chévere!) in the Department of Psychology at the University of Florida (UF). I am also an affiliate faculty in Center for Latin American Studies, and the Center for Gender, Sexualities and Women’s Studies Research at UF. My research explores ways in which marginalized communities resist systemic oppression and promote collective well-being. Specifically, my work has made significant contributions in four areas: (1) relational experiences and mental health outcomes among Latinx LGBTQ youth and their families and communities, (2) relational experiences and mental health outcomes among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth and their families, schools, and communities, (3) LGBTQ adults’ experiences of discrimination, oppression, violence, and support, and (4) immigration and mental health outcomes within Latinx communities. I have had the honor to serve in multiple leadership roles within SCP and beyond. Within SCP, I have served as Member Interface Board Director and Early Career Professional (ECP) Chair. In addition, I have been a leader in APA Divisions 44 and 45, and the National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA). As a leader, I seek to use my skills as an activist, scholar, and mentor to both resist oppression and facilitate healing spaces. I have been involved in institutional, local, state, and national efforts aimed at dismantling anti-Blackness and combating the impact of anti-trans laws and bills. As VPDPI, it is my goal to contribute to SCP’s efforts to uproot anti-Black racism by: (1) helping to implement current and future efforts to address anti-Blackness within the division, (2) implementing new efforts guided by our membership, (3) holding myself and others in SCP leadership accountable, and (4) actively recruiting new leaders into the division. Finally, perhaps one of the most valuable lessons I have learned throughout my various leadership roles is the power of humility and accountability. It is my hope that as VPDPI, I will model these values and continue to build collectively toward a more inclusive SCP. |
