Tania Israel (fifth from left) with the other 2012 API honorees in Sacramento.
Tania Israel, an associate professor in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School, was named a recipient of one of the 8th annual Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Awards, presented on May 14 in the Assembly Chambers of the State Capitol in Sacramento. The California Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus gave Israel the Award for Excellence in Mental Health. The awards, part of Asian & Pacific Islander American (APIA) Heritage month, recognize a distinguished group of APIAs who have achieved excellence in their fields, trailblazers who have significantly contributed to our communities. State Assemblyman Das Williams of the 35th District, a member of the Legislative Caucus, nominated Israel for the award.
Israel is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), and was named Woman of the Year by the American Psychological Association’s Section for the Advancement of Women in 2011. She served as president of the Society of Counseling Psychology, Unit 17 of the APA, 2010-2011. Israel was the Lead Coordinator for the 2009 National Multicultural Conference and Summit. Israel was also the 2008 winner of the Section for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Awareness Early Career Award for Significant Contribution to LGBT Psychology.
Israel joined the faculty at UCSB in 2000 after teaching Counseling Psychology for two years at the University of Memphis. She completed her doctorate in Counseling Psychology at Arizona State University in 1998 where she taught Women's Studies from 1994-1997. Israel’s masters degree in Human Sexuality Education and B.A. in Women’s Studies and Psychology are from the University of Pennsylvania. Her scholarship focuses on LGBT mental health services and community development; intersections among gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation; and social justice. She supervises undergraduate and graduate students in her research lab.