Remarks from OSPA Awards Committee Co-Chair Melissa Bestgen

The purpose of this award is to acknowledge the accomplishments of school psychologists in the first five years of their career. Nominees should demonstrate a commitment to the practice and promotion of school psychology, research, and advocacy.

The 2016 Early Career Award recipient is Bob Richardson

Bob Richardson earned his Master of Education from John Carroll University in 2013 and began his career in Euclid City Schools. Prior to starting his education in school psychology, Bob studied Cross-Cultural Social Psychology and New Japanese Cinema and worked as an Assistant English teacher in Japan. Throughout his practicum and internship years, Bob was engaged in research, presenting at NASP’s annual conference and the OSPA internship conference. In his short time as a certified school psychologist, Bob has proven himself a consummate professional, able to navigate challenging cases with knowledge, professionalism, and compassion.
He has conducted numerous staff in-services on classroom management, evidence based interventions, and effective data collection. For those who cannot attend his trainings, Bob has developed a website with information on behavioral and academic interventions for the district. In addition to typical school psychology duties, Bob is a member of Euclid’s district leadership and safety teams, providing input on crisis and mental health supports. Bob is also an active member in his professional organizations, serving on the OSPA crisis committee and executive board of CASP, and frequent volunteer in the community.

The Executive Board of the Ohio School Psychologists Association is honored to present Bob Richardson with the 2016 Early Career Award.