Dr Laura Dean, Senior University Teacher in Work Psychology at Sheffield University Management School, has been elected as the BPS President-Elect. She will start in this role at the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) AGM in July and will serve as President-Elect for two years as a member of the board of trustees. Laura will then take over as President in 2026 for a further two years, where she will act as an ambassador for the BPS and psychology more generally. She will also ensure that members’ views and voices are heard throughout the Society’s strategic discussions, working closely with the rest of the board of trustees and the Chief Executive.
On being elected, Laura said, “I’m looking forward to working for all BPS members and for the good of society to make sure that psychologists are valued and that psychology has the capacity to effect change, having a positive impact on working lives, organisations and societies worldwide.”
Professor Fraser McLeay, Dean of Sheffield University Management School, added “Laura’s appointment is a result of the commitment and hard work that Laura has been undertaking over many years, in teaching and research and as a practising Occupational Psychologist and Chartered Psychologist, and illustrates the impact that staff at the school are having on the stakeholders we work with.”
The British Psychological Society is the professional body for psychologists and they hold a Royal Charter. They accredit UK psychology courses, including the Management School’s MSc in Occupational Psychology, as well as individuals as Chartered Psychologists. At over 120 years old and with over 65,000 members, including student members and professional psychologists, the BPS is a hugely influential society, championing psychology and psychologists and leading the way on influencing and developing a psychological approach to policy-making that puts people first.
