Janet R. Matthews, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Loyola University New Orleans, recently attended The Education Leadership Conference, an invitation only conference sponsored by the American Psychological Association. Matthews was the only representative from Louisiana at the event, which targeted psychology educators from across the country.

At the conference, which focused on “Psychology and Lifelong Learning,” she served as chair of the organizing committee. Matthews also chaired several sessions and presented three distinguished service awards.

In addition, she visited the congressional offices of Louisiana Senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter and Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise in support of legislation that includes federal funding for training psychologists, proposed in 2011 appropriations bills.

According to Matthews, the training these funds would potentially support would be geared for graduate students, interns and postdoctoral fellows within the New Orleans area.