What a long, strange trip it's been: The career path of a policy-oriented community psychologist

Career paths are often shaped by chance factors. The author describes some of those factors that led him first to the field of psychology, then to the field of community psychology, and finally to a career bridging community psychology and public policy. Although chance factors influenced the author's career path, the author describes those elements of his graduate and postgraduate experience which prepared him to become a non-traditional policy-oriented community psychologist, as well as some of the characteristics needed to work effectively in policy settings.