November 19, 2020
The American Art Therapy Association congratulates this year’s distinguished recipients of awards in art therapy leadership, scholarship, research, clinical practice, and legislation. We also thank our generous funders whose contributions make it possible for AATA to offer these prestigious awards each year.
During the AATA’s first virtual awards ceremony on November 4th, President Margaret Carlock-Russo, EdD, LCAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, and President-Elect Girija Kaimal, EdD, MA, ATR-BC, bestowed the following awards and distinctions. After the award ceremony, Dr. Carlock-Russo welcomed our newest elected board members and thanked outgoing board members for their service.
Honorary Life Membership
The AATA’s highest recognition for lifetime achievement, went to Dr. Deborah A. Good, PhD, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPAT, LPCC. Dr. Good has worked 45 years as an Art Therapist and Clinical Counselor. She started the Art Therapy Program at Southwestern College in Santa Fe, New Mexico and was the Director of that program for 10 years.
Dr. Good served as both President of the American Art Therapy Association from 1997 to 1999 and the Art Therapy Credentials Board from 2010 to 2011. She provided 16 years of volunteer service on both boards. Dr. Good wrote and advocated for the first Art Therapy licensure bill from 1989 to 1993, which the New Mexico Legislature passed as part of the Therapy and Counseling Practice Act. Deborah continues to advocate for LPATs to gain insurance reimbursement inclusion and maintains an active clinical supervision practice.
Distinguished Clinician Award, General Services
The Distinguished Clinician Award, General Services, went to Craig Alan Siegel, ATR-BC. “Over the past 11 years, Mr. Siegel has made significant strides and been a substantial impact on the ongoing significant reputation of the Miami-Dade Art Therapy in the Schools program,” wrote one colleague in a nomination letter.
Thank you to our volunteers in the Honors Working Group, and Chair, Andrea Davis, ATR-BC, LPC-AT-S, for reviewing all the nominations this year.
Scholarships
These important scholarships help support the next generation of art therapists who will transform the future of the profession:
- Prasad Family Foundation – International Student Scholarship – Tsz Yan (Winnie) Wong
- Student Scholarship to the AATA Annual Conference – Christine Zweifel
- Student Scholarship to the AATA Annual Conference – Hillary Cantu
- Student Scholarship to the AATA Annual Conference – Lyrah Wallace
- New Professional Scholarship Award – Jacqueline Johnson
- New Professional Scholarship Award – Hannah Trudo
- AATA 50th Anniversary Scholarship – Cui Jing
- Rawley Silver Award for Excellence – Samantha Garrison Froh
- Myra Levick Scholarship – Salma Moustafa
- Cay Drachnik Minorities – Mckeon Dempsey
- Ellen G. Horovitz Spiritual Art Therapy Scholarship – Devorah Milecki
- Irene Rosner David Medical Art Therapy Scholarship – Sarah Fine
- Laura Greenstone Memorial Scholarship – Amanda Martin
Thank you to our volunteers on the Scholarship Committee, and Chair, Denise Wolf, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPC, for reviewing all the applications this year.
Rawley Silver Research Award
This year we were able to offer two Rawley Silver Research Awards!
One award went to Ikuko Acosta, PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT and Marygrace Berberian LCAT, ATR-BC, LCSW, for their joint proposal on a controlled, bio marker study of group Art Therapy for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.
The other award went to Sara Miller ATCS, LCPC, for her research proposal for an art-based program evaluation of artists with developmental disabilities.
Dr. Ikuko Acosta (left), Marygrace Berberian (center), and Sara Miller (right).
Thank you to our volunteers on the Research Committee, and Chair Jill McNutt, Ph.D., ATRL, LPC, ATCS for reviewing all the proposals this year.
Best Paper Award
The best paper award went to Michelle Napoli, DAT, ATR-BC, REAT, LMHC, for her article, “Ethical Contemporary Art Therapy: Honoring an American Indian Perspective.”
Thank you to our Journal Editor, Jordan Potash, PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT, LCPAT, for selecting this year’s best paper.
Pearlie Roberson Award
This year the AATA Multicultural Committee bestowed two Pearly Roberson awards! One went to Amanda Martin for her research proposal to map out access to art therapy services in Los Angeles County and identify barriers to access. The other award went to Sojung Park PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT, for her research proposal of a qualitative pilot study on the experiences of international students in South Korea in an intercultural art therapy program.
Amanda Martin (left) and Dr. Sojung Park (right).
Thank you to our volunteers on the Multicultural Committee, and Chair Craig Siegel, ATR-BC, ATCS, for sponsoring this award and reviewing all the proposals this year.
Nancy Schoebel Distinguished Legislative Service Award
This award went to Jordan Potash, PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT, LCPAT, in recognition for spearheading the licensure campaign in Washington DC over several years, leading the new art therapy license that went into effect on October 1, 2020.
Thank you to Elizabeth Hlavek, DAT, LCPAT, ATR-BC, Assembly of Chapters Speaker, for reviewing the nominations this year.
Transition of the Board
The AATA warmly welcomes the newly elected board members, Ori Cruz, MPS, LCAT, and Rochele A. Royster, PhD, ATR.
Ori Cruz (left) and Dr. Rochele Royster (right).
Reelected for a second term, we congratulate Elizabeth Hlavek, DAT, LCPAT, ATR-BC, Speaker of the Assembly of Chapters; Louvenia Jackson, MFT, ATR-BC, PhD, Director; and Nadia Paredes, ATR, LMFT, Treasurer.
Dr. Elizabeth Hlavek (left), Dr. Louvenia Jackson (left), and Nadia Paredes (right).
We also sincerely thank outgoing board members Jennifer Jividen Jackson, ATR-BC, LIMHP, LPC, and Lisa Wasserman, PsyD, ATR-BC, ATCS, for their service to the AATA.
Jennifer Jividen Jackson (left) and Dr. Lisa Wasserman (right).