APA/APAGS Award for Distinguished Graduate Student in Professional Psychology: Sarah C. Leighton.

The APA/APAGS Award for Distinguished Graduate Student in Professional Psychology is awarded on an annual basis by the APA Board of Professional Affairs and the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) to a graduate student who has demonstrated outstanding practice and application of psychology. Sarah C. Leighton is a joint winner of the 2024 awawrd, in recognition of her outstanding practice and application of psychology through her exemplary work with individuals with disabilities and service dogs. Her career spans both academic and practitioner settings, providing her with invaluable insights into the complexities of the complementary intervention of service dog partnership for people with disabilities. With a decade of experience as a leader at the world's largest service dog organization, Ms. Leighton is a knowledgeable expert in her field, recognized for her innovative thinking and strong work ethic. Thanks to her extensive hands-on experience, Ms. Leighton has helped spearhead collaborative partnerships with service dog providers and study advisory panels composed of community populations. Her work on this topic with an interdisciplinary research group at the University of Arizona has been published in a variety of interdisciplinary journals, presented at national and international conferences, and directly contributed to new and revised federal and state legislation. Ms. Leighton is active in her local community, bridging research and practice as a volunteer for the service dog puppy-raising program at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona. She is passionate about refining the service dog intervention to be as effective as possible, deeply committed to dismantling societal barriers to access and belonging, and dedicated to promoting a culture of inclusion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).