Professor Andy Roach has been appointed chair of the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services, effective July 1.
His appointment comes as current chair Brian Dew prepares to step down on June 30; Dew will return to the department’s faculty in spring 2027.
Roach currently serves as the coordinator of the school psychology Ph.D. program and as co-principal investigator for the Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) for Special Educators Project, a multi-year research grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Institute for Education Sciences. He is also the co-founder and senior faculty liaison for the Inclusive Digital Education and Literacy (IDEAL) Program, Georgia State’s inclusive postsecondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities.
Additionally, he contributes to two year-long leadership development programs: the Georgia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment and Related Disabilities program and the Association of University Centers on Disability Leadership Academy.
His research focuses on establishing inclusive educational programs and practices, as well as implementing mindfulness and contemplative approaches in educational and community contexts. He received the Lightner Witmer Early Career Research Award from the American Psychological Association – Division 16 in 2010 and the Council for Exceptional Children’s Early Career Publication Award in 2007. In 2021, he received the College of Education & Human Development's Outstanding Faculty Research Mentoring Award. He is currently completing his second consecutive term as chair of the Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs.
“Dr. Roach's leadership at the local and national levels and his focus on inclusivity make him well suited to lead the department as chair,” said Paul Alberto, CEHD dean.