Margaret Bull Kovera’s experience and expertise make her uniquely qualified to serve in this role.
Extensive Governance Experience
Kovera currently serves on APA’s Board of Directors, providing her with insight into the tremendous external pressures that currently face the association. She also served as the Chair of the Committee on Division/APA Relations and was the inaugural Chair of APA’s Amicus Curiae Expert Panel. She served two terms on the APA Council of Representatives, during which she served as Chair of two caucuses (General Applied Psychology/Psychologists and the Science Caucus).
She also has executive leadership experience within divisions, serving in a number of roles within the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS, Division 41), including President (2007-2008) and two terms as Treasurer (2000-2006) and as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (Division 9).
Financial Acumen
Kovera has experience managing professional association budgets, including a term as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Society of Psychological Study of Social Issues/APA Division 9 (2009-2012), for which she received the Division’s Distinguished Service Award, and two terms as Treasurer of AP-LS (2000-2003; 2003-2006). During her service as Treasurer, she negotiated the first contract for the division’s journal that made substantial profit (over a million dollars, much of it retroactive). She negotiated additional contracts that funded the division’s first investment account, leaving the society on much stronger footing She currently serves as a Board Liaison to APA’s Finance Committee, providing her with insight into the current financial state of the association.
An Internationally Recognized Scientist.
A strong background in research, with continuous funding from the National Science Foundation for 29 years and funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (DoJ). More than $2.8 million in extramural funding across 25 grants ranks her in the top five nationally in funding from NSF’s Law and Social Science Program since its founding in 1966. Her standing is recognized internationally: she serves on the Advisory Committee for the Assessment of the Netherlands Register of Court Experts and has qualified as an expert witness before Canadian courts as well as U.S. state, federal, and military courts. She has worked with APA to advocate on the Hill for increased research funding and with legislators for the importance of loan forgiveness and funding for psychological study. This background will be helpful for advancing efforts to increase funding for psychological study and research across the broad spectrum of the field.
A track record of personal care for the next generation
Kovera is a decorated educator, having won teaching and mentoring awards from FIU, John Jay College, CUNY’s Graduate Center, APA Division 41, and her college’s McNair Program, including three separate mentoring awards in 2023 alone. The awards span her work with undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students: she has personally supervised nearly 20 doctoral dissertations and more than 40 master’s theses, and her doctoral students have gone on to win the APA Division 41 Dissertation Award in five separate years, twice earning first place.
As Council Representative, she argued for support of new guidelines for the ethical treatment of Graduate Students. On the Board of Directors, she has pushed APA to advocate for increased federal loan access for ALL graduate students in psychology.
A proven champion for diversity
Kovera demonstrated commitment to diversifying the profession through her work in Division 41, where her Presidential Initiatives focused on reviving the committee devoted to DEI issues (including instituting pathways to the profession through internship support, travel awards, and research grants to students from minoritized backgrounds) and establishing programs for Early Career Psychologists (reduced dues and conference registration fees; research grants).
Her recent research has focused on racial disparities in the criminal legal system, which contribute to health disparities in minoritized communities. She has identified novel ways to change policing procedures that could decrease these disparities and translated that work into policy changes.
A real leader with a real vision
An internationally known expert on the social cognitive factors influencing the reliability of eyewitness identifications, which includes running a successful independent consulting practice in addition to her university responsibilities.
Her actions within Council and her roles within APA have demonstrated thoughtfulness and the ability to think inclusively about psychology. She is uniquely qualified to represent science, applied psychology, and practice because she is the only candidate who does all three.
A distinguished record of service to APA
Elected to the APA Board of Directors (2025-2027) and twice to the APA Council of Representatives (2020-2022, 2023-2025)
Served as the chair of both the General Applied Psychology and Psychologists (GAPP) caucus and the Coalition for Academic, Scientific, and Applied-Research Psychology (the science caucus), caucuses within the APA Council of Representatives
A three-year term on the Committee for Divisions/APA Relations (including a year as Chair), serving as liaison to Divisions 8, 9, 13, 14, and 41
Inaugural Chair of APA’s Amicus Curiae Brief Expert Panel (2022-2024)
APA Task Force on the Publication of Previously Published Material (2015)
While Editor-in-Chief of Law and Human Behavior, worked with APA publication staff to institute program of offering Open Science badges for articles published by APA publishing
Curriculum Vitae
Dr. Kovera’s decorated career spans over three decades of rigorous research, unrelenting advocacy, and dedicated service to our greater community of psychologists.
Her full 49 page CV is available below:
Education
Ph.D. University of Minnesota (1994)
Major Program: Social Psychology; Supporting Program: Statistics
B.A. Northwestern University (1988), with Departmental Honors
Major: Psychology
Academic Positions
Presidential Scholar and Professor of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY (2015–present)
Professor of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY (2004–2015)
Professor, Social Psychology PhD Program, Graduate Center, CUNY, (2008–present)
Professor, Psychology and Law Ph.D. Program, Graduate Center, CUNY (2004–present)
Assistant to Associate Professor of Psychology, Florida International University (1995–2005)
Visiting Assistant Professor, Reed College (1993–1995)
Other Professional Appointments and Activity
2025-present: APA Board of Directors Member-at-Large
2020–2024: APA Council of Representatives (Division 41/American Psychology-Law Society Representative)
2012–2018: Editor-in-Chief, Law and Human Behavior
2002–2011: Associate Editor, Law and Human Behavior
2009–2012: Secretary/Treasurer of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (Division 41, American Psychological Association)
2006–2009: President Elect, President, and Past President of the American Psychology-Law Society (Division 41, American Psychological Association)
2006–: Expert Witness in U.S. State (CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NY, OH, SC, TN, TX), U.S. Federal (District of the District of Columbia, District of KS, District of MA, Eastern and Southern Districts of NY, Southern District of MS), Navy-Marine Military Court, and Canadian Courts
2000–2006: Treasurer of the American Psychology-Law Society (Division 41, American Psychological Association)
Publication Summary Data
Citations: 5,051
Federal Grants: 21
Books: 4
Articles and Book Chapters: over 100
Honors and Awards
Distinguished Contributions to Psychology and Law Award, American Psychology-Law Society (2025)
Award for Excellence in Mentoring, Graduate Center – CUNY (2023)
The Kwando Kinshasa Excellence in Mentoring Award, John Jay College – CUNY McNair Program (2023)
Outstanding Scholarly Mentor Award, John Jay College – CUNY (2023)
Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award, University of Minnesota Psychology Department (2022)
Fellow, Division 8 of the American Psychological Association (2020)
American Psychology-Law Society Book Award (2018)
Fellow, Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2018)
Distinguished Lecturer, National Science Foundation Distinguished Lecture Series (2017–2018)
Distinguished Service Award, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (2014)
Distinguished Teaching Prize, John Jay College – CUNY (2010)
John Jay College Faculty Scholarly Excellence Award (2006–2007; 2007–2008; 2008–2009; 2009–2010; 2010–2011; 2012–2013; ineligible beginning 2013-2014)
Fellow, Association for Psychological Science (2009)
Fellow, Society for Experimental Social Psychology (2009)
Fellow, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (2008)
Ursa Major Award for Outstanding Professional Contributions, Alpha Phi Fraternity (2008)
Fellow, American Psychological Association (2005)
Fellow, American Psychology Law-Society (2005)
Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring in Psychology and Law (American Psychology-Law Society, 2004)
Saleem Shah Early Career Award for Excellence and Achievement in Research (2000)
Awarded by the American Academy of Forensic Psychology and the American Psychology-Law Society (Division 41 of the American Psychological Association)
Teaching Incentive Program Award, Florida International University (1999), a university-wide teaching award
American Psychology-Law Society Dissertation Award, First Place (1994)
University of Minnesota Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (1992–1993)
University of Minnesota Departmental Fellowship (1988–1989)
Departmental Honors in Psychology, Northwestern University (1988)
National Merit Scholarship, Northwestern University (1984–1985)