Anderson is a board member of the Women’s Commission on Alcohol and Drugs Issues- Oregon, and in the past, has been actively involved with the Northwest Institute on Alcohol and Drug Issues and the Society of Addiction Psychologists (Division 50) of the American Psychological Association. Anderson presents her academic research on addiction to schools in the Portland area, both to educators and to students themselves, and works to translate her research into policy that will aid the larger community.
At Reed, Anderson teaches a Clinical Psychology class that requires a minimum of 25 hours to volunteer work beyond campus. Anderson feels strongly about the volunteer component of the class because of her background in special education, clinical psychology, and her own engagement with the broader Portland community through her research. Requiring to students to volunteer and gain concrete experience in the experience of mental health allows “the community to be part of the laboratory.” Anderson notes that several of her students have gone on to professional positions at these organizations and that most have commented that their volunteer experience was “not what they expected,” which she sees as a good sign.