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State group taps DC 37’s Davidman

His colleagues recently elected Local 1189 President Dr. Leonard Davidman to the Executive Committee of the New York State Psychological Association.

Davidman has headed DC 37 Local 1189, which represents city Psychologists, since 1994. He represents the Manhattan chapter of the 3,000-member state association, which is part of the leading professional association of psychologists in the country.

The Executive Committee is the top governing body of the state association’s Council of Representatives, which establishes policies and professional standards and directs its lobbying in Albany, where the group monitors and influences proposed state Education Dept. regulations for the work of psychologists.

“We do a lot of work on Medicare and Medicaid,” said Davidman, noting that the association has a long track record of fighting to preserve funding for the federal programs.

“I was elected because I am known as level-headed and nonpartisan,” Davidman said. “So I hope to be a calming influence and a voice of reason on the committee.”

In addition to his leadership posts on the executive committee and the Manhattan chapter, Davidman acts as the association’s media watchdog. He is a leading participant on a listserv of 500 members in which he circulates key articles about topics that concern psychologists. He also chairs DC 37’s Jewish Heritage Committee.