President

Jennifer Presnall-Shvorin, PhD

Jennifer Presnall-Shvorin, Ph.D., is the Assistant Chief of the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, where she was previously the PCMHI Program Manager. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky, where her research focused on assessment of personality disorders from the Five-Factor Model perspective. She completed her clinical internship in the PTSD track at VA Connecticut, West Haven. During her postdoctoral fellowship with the War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) at VA New Jersey HCS (East Orange, NJ) she contributed to a clinical research study of Problem Solving Treatment for Gulf War Illness. She has previously served as the president of the Early Career division of the New York State Psychological Association, as chair of AVAPL Early Career Psychologists SIG, and as AVAPL Secretary.

President-Elect

Kristin Rodzinka, PhD, ABPP

Kristin Rodzinka, PhD, ABPP, is the Trauma Recovery Clinic (PCT) and PTSD Residential Programs Manager at the Dayton VA Medical Center and a VISN 10 PTSD Mentor.  She has been a member of AVAPL for 17 years and is humbled by the opportunity to step into leadership during this critical time for advocacy.  She had the honor to serve as a Psychology Internship Training Director for 16 years and actively participated in the national VA Psychology Training Council (VAPTC) since its inception in 2008 (at VAPLC!).  During her 10 years as an elected member of the VAPTC Executive Council, she served as Chair during the pandemic and, most recently has been External Liaison, representing the needs and concerns of VA Training Directors to APPIC and CCTC.  In 2023, she completed an 8-month special assignment within OMHSP covering the role of the National Mental Health Director for Psychotherapy, providing oversight of the national evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) programs and leading implementation of federal legislation relevant to EBPs.  In 2022 she received the APPIC Committee Service Award for 12 years of service as both member and Chair of the APPIC Internship Membership & Review Committee.  In addition to her administrative roles, she continues to provide direct patient care and clinical supervision.  She is trained and certified in multiple EBPs.  Dr. Rodzinka earned her B.A. in Psychology and Women’s Studies from the University of Michigan and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arkansas.

Past President

Megan McCarthy, PhD

Megan McCarthy serves as the Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health in the Birmingham VA Health Care System. During her career, Dr. McCarthy has held roles in San Francisco VA HCS, VA Northern California HCS, and the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in VA Central Office, and has focused her efforts on building and implementing robust evidence-based mental health and suicide prevention care. She has special interests in training, advocacy, and expanding lethal means safety initiatives for suicide prevention.

Dr. McCarthy received a B.A. from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. She interned at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and completed fellowship at Harvard Medical School. She is excited to serve AVAPL’s Executive Committee – and the vibrant group of psychologists it represents! – and to advance its mission of supporting and recognizing VA psychology, and the care we provide to Veterans.

Secretary

Michelle M. Kehn, Ph.D., ABPP

Michelle M. Kehn, Ph.D., ABPP is currently the Health Psychology
Program Manager for VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System, working out
of the VA Rocky Mountain Regional Medical Center. In this role, she
serves as supervisor for 12 psychologists working in specialty
medicine clinics. Prior to this role, she was the Home Based Primary
Care and Palliative Care psychologist at the Margaret Cochran Corbin
VA in New York City for 12.5 years. During that time, she received
funding for and developed a Geropsychology postdoctoral fellowship,
and served as the Track Lead. She also served as Interim Training
Director for the Internship program and the Co-Chair the Alliance for
Healthcare Equity, Accountability, and Diversity (AHEAD), an
employee-driven diversity-focused group. Dr. Kehn works with trainees
across various levels and disciplines, and recently obtained a faculty
appointment with University of Colorado Anschutz Medical School.

Dr. Kehn received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Long Island
University - Brooklyn Campus. She completed her internship and
postdoctoral fellowship at the New York Harbor Healthcare System -
Brooklyn Campus. She is a board certified Geropsychologist. She is
grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Executive Committee,
advocating for VA psychologists across the system.

Treasurer

Nicole Shiber, PsyD

Nicole Shiber is the Psychology Program Manager for Recovery, Research, and Outreach and Local Recovery Coordinator (LRC) at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida. She has been in the LRC role since 2007 and continues to lead within the national LRC community as a LRC Community Executive Liaison, coordinator of the LRC Mentoring Program, and faculty for the annual LRC Boot Camp. Dr. Shiber also administratively supervises a team of WOC and full-time employed Peer Specialists and together they support Veterans seeking state certification by providing training and other supports. She holds a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Indiana State University and completed her predoctoral internship in 2002-2003 at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Her experience consistently aligns with her generalist training and the assessment and treatment of individuals with serious mental illness and dual diagnosis. Dr. Shiber has served as the Outreach and Hospitality subcommittee lead for the VAPLC and as Co-chair of the AVAPL Women in Leadership SIG. She has great passion for advocacy and furthering the field of psychology and strongly believes in AVAPL as an important professional community for psychologists serving the mission of the VA.