Congratulations to our 2021 Award Winners!  View the awards presentations below! 

2021 NJPA Lifetime Achievement Award
Stephanie Coyne, PhD 

The association’s highest honor, recognizing an NJPA member’s exceptional leadership in the form of enduring and exemplary contributions to NJPA, over a sustained period of time, which collectively, has significantly enhanced the association’s ability to positively impact the lives and careers of its members, as well as advancing the field of psychology in New Jersey, and beyond. 

2021 NJPA Psychologist of the Year Award
Morgan Murray, PhD

Each year, NJPA recognizes a full member who has been with the association for at least 5 years, made an important contribution to the profession of psychology in New Jersey through service to NJPA, and who demonstrated excellence in psychology either through practice, research, and/or teaching.

2021 NJPA Stanley Moldawsky Mentor Award 
John DeLuca, PhD

In recognition of an NJPA member who exhibits exceptional leadership, over a sustained period of time, in the form of enduring and exemplary contributions to mentoring new psychologists and/or graduate doctoral level students that, in turn, will significantly enhance the association’s ability to positively impact the lives and careers of its new membership, as well as advancing the field of psychology in New Jersey, and beyond. 

2021 NJPA Academic and Scientific Affairs Distinguished Faculty Award
Milton Fuentes, PsyD

This award acknowledges the efforts of a psychologist faculty member, either full-time faculty or holding a scientific position, for their research, teaching, or training efforts. The distinguished faculty is provided $200, awarded to one faculty member annually, with the desire that the faculty member awards one of their students in their lab with the $200.   Selected Student - J'Kye Moses

2021 NJPA Academic and Scientific Affairs Student Research Award
A. Keshani Perera, MA

This award is presented to a student (undergraduate or graduate) in psychology who is attending a college/university in New Jersey, interning in a New Jersey institution, or an NJPA student affiliate, who has demonstrated exceptional research potential as determined by his or her academic department.  The awardee is invited to present their research as a poster at the NJPA Fall Conference. One awardee is selected annually and given a stipend in the amount of $200.

2021 NJPA Dawn Gemeinhardt Student Appreciation Certificate
2021 NJPAGS Chair, Jared Hammond

This certificate, in the amount of $200, is given annually to show appreciation for the efforts of an NJPAGS chair who has gone beyond expectations.  It seeks to recognize outstanding student leaders and to encourage them to continue on their leadership path.  Focus areas may include, but are not limited to, creating programs to raise consciousness to issues of diversity/equity/inclusion, social justice work in the field of psychology, advocating for the needs of graduate students, creating programs to service the needs of graduate students, facilitating communication between NJPA committees and NJPAGS, and recruitment of new members. 

2021 NJPA Legislator of the Year Award
Senator Vin Gopal

The NJPA Legislator of the Year honors a New Jersey Legislator who has sponsored or championed legislation that directly benefits psychologists and/or consumers of psychological services. 

Senator Vin Gopal has worked tirelessly across party-lines to champion the causes of working families, small-business owners, students and seniors. He has pushed for successful funding for Monmouth County schools, women's healthcare facilities, mental health support along with many other key areas of funding support.  Click here to review a list of mental health legislation that he has supported.