Martha S. Zlokovich MS, PhD

Dr. Martha S. Zlokovich has been the Executive Director of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, since 2008. Dr. Zlokovich joined Psi Chi in 2008 as its second Executive Director, leaving Southeast Missouri State University after teaching there for 17 years. This move, however, was not her first involvement with Psi Chi. She served as chapter advisor since 1993, as Midwestern Region Vice-President (1998-2000), and as National President of Psi Chi (2003-04). In 1996, Southeast’s Chapter won the Ruth Hubbard Cousins National Chapter of the Year Award, and several chapter members won Psi Chi Regional Research Awards at MPA and/or had their research published in the Psi Chi Journal.

As Executive Director she provides a long-term vision for the Society and maintains Board's focus on the Society’s strategic plan as the structure on which the Board’s work builds. She represents Psi Chi to other psychological organizations developing benefits for members and works with universities outside the US that wish to apply for a chapter of Psi Chi. In her role as Psi Chi ED she has served as President of the Board for the Association of College Honor Societies and as interim Editor of the Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research (now the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research.

A developmental psychologist, Dr. Zlokovich taught Child Development, Adolescent Development, Lifespan Development, Advanced Child Psychology, and Introductory Psychology for Majors at Southeast. She also served as chair of the Psychology Department, Faculty Senate chair, and interim chair of the Center for Scholarship in Teaching and Learning. Her research interests have focused on student study habits, study beliefs, and persistence to graduation as well as adolescent and young adult contraception and sexuality. She completed her BA in psychology at UCLA and MS and Ph.D. in developmental psychology at the University of Florida.