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Thomas A. Parham, Ph.D. is Assistant Vice Chancellor for Counseling and Health Services and Director of the Counseling Center, as well as an adjunct faculty member at the University of California, Irvine.

Dr. Parham is a Past President of the National Association of Black Psychologists. He is also a member of the American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association. He is Past President of the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (a division of ACA).

For the past twenty plus years, Dr. Parham has focused his research efforts in the area of psychological nigrescence and has authored numerous articles in the area. Writing in the areas of identity development and multicultural counseling remains his primary focus.

He is the co-author of a book entitled The Psychology of Blacks: An African American Perspective 2nd ed. (Prentice Hall, 1990) and the author of a book entitled Psychological Storms: The African American Struggle for Identity (African American Images, 1993). His most recent book entitled Counseling African Descent People: Raising the Bar of Practitioner Competence published by Sage is now available. He has also co-authored the much updated 3rd edition of The Psychology of Blacks: An African Centered Perspective, which is currently available through Prentice Hall (2000). In addition to authoring over twenty journal articles and/or book chapters, he has also produced several videotapes including Counseling African Americans, Youth and Violence, and Innovative Approaches to Counseling African Descent People which are available through Microtraining & Associates. He has also just completed work on a video tape with John Carlson through the American Psychological Association entitled "Working with African American Clients."

He has been interviewed and quoted extensively, in regional and national newspapers and magazines. He has also participated in the 2005 State of the Black Union hosted by Tavis Smiley airing on the CSPAN network. In characterizing him, some have written: "Parham is a gifted and charismatic speaker in the tradition of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Indeed, for many his presence as a public figure is transformative; the power of his innate humanity and manifest love conveying an overwhelming sense of acceptance and understanding. You feel a great many things in the presence of Dr. Parham; mostly, you just feel better." (Mears, 2002).

He has been honored and celebrated by numerous professional and organizations and academic institutions for his research and scholarship, training and mentoring of students, leadership, and community service.