Committee Chairs

Governance committees are established by and report to the Board of Directors. These committees assist the board with its governance work. By contrast, management committees are established by and report to the CEO to ensure that programs (intended to achieve the Ends policies approved by the Board) are cost-effective, deemed clinically sound, and valued by members. You are invited to review our Program Committee Protocols.

Current chairs for our 2019-2020 year are:

Awards of Excellence Committee

Renee Turner, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S
Chair 10/18-10/20
Assistant Professor, Counseling, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX
Management: Annually review and evaluate Award nominations.

Conference Program Committee

Kara Carnes-Holt, PhD, LPC, RPT-S
Chair 10/18-10/20
Assistant Professor, Counseling, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
Management: Annually review conference program proposals.

Ethics and Practice Guidelines Committee

Tony Lai, MA, LPC, RPT-S
Chair 4/19-4/21
Owner, private practice, McMinnville, OR
Management: Tri-annually review and update Play Therapy Best Practices and Paper on Touch.

International Journal of Play Therapy® Clinical Editor

Edward Hudspeth, PhD, LPC, RPT-S
Clinical Editor 3/14-3/17, 3/17-3/20
Associate Dean, Counseling, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, ME
Management: Review and recommend edits to manuscripts submitted for possible publication in quarterly peer-reviewed journal issues.

International Liaison

Linda Homeyer, PhD, LPC-S, CCCPT-S, CCPRT-S, RPT-S
Chair 10/18-10/20
APT Board Emeritus; Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
Management: Communicate and represent the goals and mission of the Association on an international scale.

Leadership Academy Committee

Jessica Stone, PhD, RPT-S
Chair 10/18-10/19, Co-Chair 10/19-10/20
Owner, private practice, Fruita, CO

Amy Williams Long, PhD, LPC, RPT-S
Co-Chair 10/19-10/20
Owner, Thrive Play Therapy, LLC, Castle Rock, CO
Management: Annually review and recommend revisions to Leadership Academy curriculum. Observe and identify emerging class leaders.

Mining Report Clinical Editor

Elizabeth Burgin, MA, NCC, LPC
Clinical Editor 10/18 - 10/20
University of North Texas, Denton, TX
Management: Review mental health publications and recommend citations for possible publication in quarterly mining reports.

Nominations Committee

Tami Langen, MSW, LISW-S, RPT-S
Chair 10/19-10/20
Program Manager of Columbus Public Health, Hilliard, OH
Governance: Orient committee members about the board culture and leadership attributes. Review & recommend revisions to the Director Candidate Questionnaire. Annually approve slate comprising not more than six director candidates.

Play Therapy^TM Magazine Clinical Editor

Sarah Stauffer, PhD, LP (Switzerland), LPC, NCC, NCSC, RPT-S
Clinical Editor 1/18-1/20, 1/20-1/22
Psychologist, Association ESPAS, Switzerland
Management: Review and recommend edits to manuscripts submitted for possible publication in quarterly magazine.

Registration and Continuing Education Committee

Jamie Langley, MSSW, LCSW, RPT-S
Chair 11/2019-11/2020
Child and Family Play Therapist, Private Practice, Smyrna, Tennessee
Management: Periodically review and recommend policy revisions to Registered Play Therapist & Supervisor and Approved Provider of Play Therapy Continuing Education programs.

Research Committee

Dee Ray, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S
Chair 4/15-4/17, 4/17-8/19, Co-Chair 8/19-4/20
Professor, Department of Counseling, University of North Texas, Denton, TX

Yung-Wei Lin (Dennis), PhD, LPC-C,
Co-Chair 8/19-4/21
Assistant Professor, Department of Counselor Education, New Jersey City University, Jersey City,NJ
Management: Foster research that advances play therapy, particularly studies that generate evidence-based play therapy treatments. Review and evaluate Research and Student Research Award nominations.

University Education Committee

Corie Schoeneberg, EdS, LPC, NCC, RPT-S
Chair 10/18-3/19, 3/19-3/20
Adjunct Professor, Department of Counseling, University of Central Missouri, Whiteman AFB, MO
Management: Periodically review and recommend policy revisions to the Approved  Centers of Play Therapy Education program. Review and recommend questions to be posed during History Speaks program interviews.