President

Germine Awad, Ph.D.

Full Professor, The University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Germine "Gigi" Awad is a Full Professor in the Human Development, Culture & Learning Sciences and Counseling Psychology Programs in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research centers around race and racism, Arab/Middle Eastern American psychology, body image among women of color, and multicultural research methodology. She is the co-author of the Handbook of Arab American Psychology and her work has been published in books, journals, and newspapers/magazines. She is a founding member of AMENA-Psy and served in several leadership roles including Treasurer and Membership Chair. When asked about what the organization means to her, Dr. Awad said "Having an organization like AMENA-Psy is a professional dream for me." On her (very little) downtime, Dr. Awad enjoys swimming, reading, and spending quality time with her husband and two beautiful children. 

President-Elect 

Lamise Shawahin, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Governors State University 

Lamise Shawahin is an assistant professor of psychology and counseling at Governors State University. Her research centers on Arab and Muslim health. She was the program coordinator for the Muslim Mental Health Conference, and a steering committee member of the American Middle Eastern North African (AMENA) Psychological Association. She is a scholar-activist and was the inaugural chair of the AMENA-Psy advocacy committee. She currently serves as a board member of Arab American Family Services and as the Division 45 MENA Member at Large. She also serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Muslim Mental Health.

Secretary 

Danna Bismar, MS

Counseling Psychology Doctoral Candidate; University of North Texas

Danna Bismar is a doctoral candidate in the Minority Wellness track of the Counseling Psychology Program at the University of North Texas. Her upbringing as a child of Syrian immigrants led her to develop a particular interest in cultural diversity and multicultural identity development. Currently, Danna’s research is focused on taking a strength-based approach to explore the cognitive and affective components and outcomes of bicultural identity integration among adult children of immigrants. In her clinical work, Danna enjoys serving and facilitating healing for individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and walks of life. She believes in honoring each person’s lived experiences and familial and cultural contexts. She is currently completing her pre-doctoral internship at Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare. Danna previously served on the AMENA-Psy Student Committee for two years and is committed to the advancement of knowledge, research, and practice related to MENA populations. Not only has AMENA-Psy become a professional home for her, but also a community of life-long friends. In her free time, Danna loves to paint, play, and spend time with family and friends.