Foundation Connections

It is with mixed emotions that the NBCC Foundation announces the retirement of Interim Vice President of Foundation and Professional Services, Dr. LaVerne Hanes Collins. Dr. Collins joined the Foundation staff in March 2017 as the Program Director for the NBCC Foundation, and she managed programming for the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP), Foundation Scholars Program, and the Community Capacity Building Grants. In December 2018, Dr. Collins moved into her current role as Interim VP of Foundation and Professional Services during an organizational restructuring process to allow NBCC and its affiliates to better collaborate on their core functions and allow for future growth of their services.

During her time at the NBCC Foundation, Dr. Collins made notable strides in the advancement of the Foundation and Professional Services Division and its programs. Her efforts have secured sustainability and enhanced the impact of the work of the Division, which includes the NBCC Foundation; NBCC International Capacity Building Department; and The Professional Counselor (TPC), the official, peer-reviewed, open-access, electronic journal of NBCC. For this year’s Bridging the Gap Symposium in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Collins was the visionary for the Inaugural Bridging the Gap Awards. These awards highlighted the pioneering work of NBCC MFP alumni, scholars, and volunteers who provide mental health resources, training, research, and supports for the counseling profession and for a variety of underserved populations domestically and internationally.

In her 20+ years as an NCC, Dr. Collins has been a trainer, consultant, author, textbook contributor, and speaker throughout the United States, South America, and Africa. She is licensed as a professional counselor in Georgia and North Carolina. Nationally and internationally, she is recognized as an advocate for underserved and marginalized populations, and in her role at the NBCC Foundation, she continued to champion the work of counselors and counselors-in-training as they learn innovative ways to bridge the gap in mental health services for underserved populations across the country and around the world.

Dr. Collins commented that, “My time at NBCC has been rich and rewarding. I have watched many fellows and scholars launch into tremendous career paths, expanded my professional network, and met many phenomenal people. These relationships are now friendships! I am grateful for the opportunity to both give to and receive from so many amazing counseling professionals.”

As she transitions to retirement, Dr. Collins is looking forward to spending more time with her family, especially her grandchildren, and plans to stay closely involved with the NBCC community as an advocate, volunteer, and mentor. She also looks forward to some direct practice work, teaching, and training. We thank Dr. Collins for her dedication and commitment to the NBCC Foundation and its mission and wish her the best in this new chapter.

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