Shari Miles-Cohen, PhD

Shari Miles-Cohen, PhD, is an administrator, author, advocate, curator, and research psychologist. She specializes in the analysis of social, behavioral, and economic factors and the application of psychological science to ensure that the issues facing women and girls and people of color are considered and effectively addressed in the field, and that psychologists, especially women psychologists and psychologists of color, are prepared to effectively lead on these issues. She has developed an international portfolio promoting the interface between research, action and policy related to equity, inclusion, and leadership, especially pertaining to women and women of color.

Currently, Dr. Miles-Cohen serves as the Executive Director of the National Communications Association (NCA) in Washington, D.C. Prior to her post at NCA, she served as the Senior Director of the APA Human Rights Team, the Senior Director of the Women’s Programs Portfolio and Acting Senior Director of the Portfolio on Ethnic Minority Affairs. She was also the director the APA Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology (LIWP), APA’s flagship leadership development program for women, from its inception in 2009 until 2021. Additionally, Dr. Miles-Cohen served as the creative lead and director of APA’s I am Psyched! Initiative, which includes the first-of-its-kind multimedia exhibit exploring the history and current contributions of women of color psychologists. Prior to joining APA, Dr. Miles-Cohen used her strategic and thought leadership to advance women’s and progressive issues as the executive director of several national and international NGOs.

She has co-edited three books, including Eliminating Inequities for Women with Disabilities: An Agenda for Health and Wellness (2016) with Caroline Signore, MD. Recently, her article exploring the mental health screening challenges faced by pregnant and postpartum women of color when maternity wards close in their communities was published in Women’s Reproductive Health (2018). She is a contributing author for both volumes of the PROSE Award winning APA Handbook of the Psychology of Women (2019). Currently, she is completing a co-authored manuscript on the history of the APA LIWP.