Jacob received his BA in psychology from OSU and went on to complete a MA in Clinical Psychology at Roosevelt University, Chicago in 2016. He currently works as a Project Manager for the American Psychological Association.

As Project Manager, Jacob manages ongoing development of clinical practice guidelines through tracking work products, preparing substantive background materials and drafting reports for guideline development panels and the Advisory Steering Committee as well as for APA governance. He oversees website updates and conducts literature searches to help guide development panels. For Jacob, the best part of his job is “the opportunity to interact and work with renowned experts who . . . provid[e] their expertise for developing APA's clinical practice guidelines as well as enhancing evidence-based practice in psychology. I also enjoy conducting background research and finding the latest research on best practices in clinical practice guideline development as well as healthcare trends.” The most challenging aspect of his job are keeping up with the ever-changing best practices in guideline development, but he feels that having strong attention to detail, flexibility, openness, and humility are key to success in his field.

As an undergraduate at Ohio State, Jacob worked as a research assistant in the Childhood Mood Disorders lab, where he entered data and conducted behavioral observations of children and their families. He also served as co-president of the Psychology Club. His work as a research assistant at OSU informed his master’s thesis, which involved how socioeconomic differences impacted children’s after school activities in the Chicago area. Before his current work with APA, Jacob also worked as a project manager at Kent State University on a NIH-funded study "Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for High Blood Pressure: A Two-Site RCT."  

His advice for current undergraduate psychology majors as they look ahead to life after graduation: “Follow your passion, whatever that may be, by reaching out to individuals with similar interests as well as joining a research lab … and consider writing and defending a thesis. If you are interested in graduate school but are unsure if the doctoral program would be right for you, consider a master’s program in psychology as that'll help introduce you to the graduate school life and build connections. Know though that there are positions out there that do not require a graduate degree and … reach out to your advisor to see what path may be right for you.”