10 Years of Service: Dr. Joel Kamper on Volunteering with ASPPB
A candid view of the growth, connections, and impact volunteers gain.
Every year, psychologists across the U.S. and Canada sit for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)® — the standardized exam that evaluates the knowledge and skills necessary for licensure as a psychologist to ensure competency in the field. Behind that standard is a community of dedicated volunteers. Actively serving as EPPP (Part 2–Skills) Item Development Committee (IDC2) Chair, Joel E. Kamper, Ph.D., ABPP, has been one of those volunteers for over 10 years. What began as a hand raised in 2016, as a commitment to contribute his expertise beyond his own practice, has grown into a decade of service at the heart of psychology licensure and a firsthand account of what showing up for the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB)’s® mission can build, both professionally and relationally.
Community and Growth
Answering the call was the beginning, but what has kept Dr. Kamper engaged for years is not the mission alone; it is the professional community. Through ASPPB, he works with scholars, practitioners, and regulatory leaders who actively shape the field of psychology. Alongside those connections, Dr. Kamper continues to develop professionally in ways that extend beyond clinical practice by navigating committee work, advocating with conviction, and collaborating across the field. That growth is ongoing, supported by the culture of mentorship illustrated by ASPPB’s volunteer community.
“ASPPB does incredible work and the people are what make it that way.”
Joel E. Kamper, Ph.D., ABPP
Diverse Perspectives are Welcomed
Dr. Kamper encourages licensed psychologists who may be considering answering a call to volunteerism with ASPPB to embrace a world of possibilities that will open to them. “Early-career psychologists often don’t know what they have to offer until they try,” Dr. Kamper says. “Your perspective and lived experience are valuable here. People will see things in you that you don’t see in yourself yet— and that is a really cool thing about being a part of this organization.” For those curious about the process and about how their diverse experiences are important, his perspective is clear: “Getting involved is the only way to truly understand the process and to help shape what comes next.”
ASPPB welcomes volunteers from across the full range of professional experience, including psychologists at every career stage and regulators. Each volunteer brings a unique perspective that benefits the Association and its mission. Together, they advance ASPPB’s mission of supporting member jurisdictions in fulfilling their responsibility of public protection, the vision of consistent standards that ensure competent practice of psychology, and the values of quality, respect, responsiveness, accountability, and transparency.
Interested in more from ASPPB’s volunteer community? Stay informed by visiting: ASPPB Stories
