Board of Directors

President

Dr. Monique M. Turner is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Psychology Department. She has taught group dynamics and advanced research methods/statistics: she loves stats! Monique received her B.A. in 2010 and her M.A in 2016 from California State University, Dominguez Hills. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University. Her dissertation focused on multiculturalism and education empowerment among classified ethnic minority groups. Dr. Turner has clinical training of 7 years plus in the area of severe mental health and specializes in positive psychology, optimal well-being.  She has also worked with the incarcerated population and has expertise in psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments. She is the Co-Founder of Holiness Outreach Ministry Etc. (HOME), a non-profit that helps incarcerated families with support services. She has worked on numerous research projects and has led multiple presentations internationally and locally on various research topics including resilience, stereotypes, and ethnic disparities. In between jobs, school, and parenting, Dr. Turner works with K-12 students to enhance their educational development, specifically with writing, math abilities, and reading comprehension including etymology. She is committed to providing children with a quality of education amid life's obstacles through her organization, Beenie's Circle of Unity, as well.

Secretary

Dr. Norma Kehdi is a licensed psychologist in Oregon and California, and is the Senior Director at the Accessible Education Center at the University of Oregon, where she advocates for accessibility, inclusion, and support of students with disabilities on campus. Norma also works in private practice conducting psychoeducational and psychodiagnostic evaluations. Norma’s specialities include learning disabilities, ADHD, diagnostic assessment, disability among college students, and acculturation and cultural competency. Norma has a passion for Arab American mental health and intergenerational trauma as well as college student well-being and belonging. Norma's interest in POC lies with her desire to have more representation of psychologists of color in the field to diversify the workforce and be able to reach and connect with more people in our communities. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Pacific University and her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Oregon. In her free time, Norma enjoys spending time with family and loved ones, bowling, live music, and karaoke!

Board Member

Dr. Terrell Strayhorn is a leading authority in the fields of education, psychology, and leadership, internationally-known for his ground-breaking research and scholarship on sense of belonging. He has authored over 12 books and more than 200 academic publications in highly-regarded peer-reviewed journals and volumes, plus dozens of widely-circulated op-Eds, letters, and blogs. He is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur, AllBusiness, Thrive Global, and leads the “Belonging Matters” blog for Psychology Today.

Strayhorn currently serves as Professor of Education and Psychology at Virginia Union University, where he also works as Director of the Center for the Study of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Principal Investigator of The Belonging Lab. He teaches courses, designs curricula, and/or supervises doctoral committees at several universities across the globe. A leading DEI expert with subject matter expertise in Lean Six Sigma (black belt) and strategic planning, Strayhorn earned a bachelors degree from the University of Virginia (UVA), masters in education from UVA, masters in psychology from Indiana Tech, and doctorate (PhD) from Virginia Tech.

Driven by a genuine passion for helping others, Dr. Strayhorn has dedicated his career to working with individuals from diverse, vulnerable, and system-impacted backgrounds. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and serves on several non-profit boards including Rainbow Labs, Career Analysis Organization of America, Oregon Outreach Inc., and Psychologists of Color, Inc.