Dr. Dennis Stolle

Executive Lead Psychologist for Applied Psychology

American Psychological Association

Dennis P. Stolle, JD, PhD, is Executive Lead Psychologist for Applied Psychology at the American Psychological Association (APA). His work focuses on the application of psychological science to improve decision-making, performance, and well-being in complex, real-world systems. With a background spanning legal practice as an owner in an AmLaw 100 law firm, behavioral science consulting as founder and president of a national consulting firm, and research across applied and academic settings, he brings experience across high-stakes domains. He has spent more than two decades translating insights from social and personality psychology into real-world settings, including workplaces, courts, and human–technology environments. At APA, he leads efforts to integrate applied psychology across domains such as workforce, education, technology, sustainability, and legal policy.

Dr. Stolle’s recent work emphasizes the role of psychological capital—hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism—in shaping how individuals and organizations perform under conditions of uncertainty and change. He focuses in particular on how work design, leadership decisions, and emerging technologies such as AI influence these capacities. His approach centers on a simple premise: systems shape behavior. When designed well, they can strengthen human capability and support both performance and well-being at scale.