Board of Behavioral Sciences elects Wendy Strack chair, names Nick Boyd vice chair

The Board of Behavioral Sciences elected Wendy Strack as chair and Nick Boyd as vice chair during its May 8 meeting. The board conducted nominations and roll‑call votes in open session following a brief recess; the nominees were confirmed by voice votes recorded on the public record.

Board staff counsel Sabina Knight and Executive Director Steve Sodergren described the chair and vice‑chair responsibilities before nominations, noting the chair’s role in setting agendas, regular communication with staff and participation in strategic projects and sunset reviews. Sodergren said the chair often meets with executive staff biweekly to stay informed on board projects.

Chris Jones, who had been serving as board chair, nominated Vice Chair Wendy Strack for chair; the motion received a second and the board conducted a roll‑call confirmation with voting members recorded on the transcript. After the roll call, board counsel announced Strack had been elected.

Strack thanked the board upon her selection, saying, “It’s a privilege and an honor to work alongside all of you,” and said she looked forward to continuing the board’s work on workforce and outreach efforts.

For the vice chair position the board nominated Nick Boyd (who was not present) and conducted a roll call; counsel reported Boyd accepted the nomination in advance and the membership confirmed him as vice chair. The public‑record votes for both officer elections were recorded in the meeting transcript.

The board discussed time commitments for the chair and vice chair: Sodergren and members emphasized involvement in strategic planning, the board’s sunset review process and quarterly chair meetings with Department of Consumer Affairs. The vice chair role was described as a support and backup position that increasingly may take a larger role in committee work and external coordination.

Ending: The board recessed at the close of the session and said it would reconvene the next day at 9 a.m.; the officer elections are effective immediately and will remain until the board’s next annual elections in May 2026.