2023 Doctoral Fellows

LaShawn Meri Adams (she/her) – Newark, New Jersey

LaShawn Adams is a graduate of Montclair State University and Rutgers University. She is currently a doctoral student in the clinical mental health counseling program also at Montclair State University.

LaShawn identifies as a Black, cisgender woman. She is from the inner-city streets of Newark, New Jersey. She is currently working toward being a tenured counselor educator. She is a descendant of enslaved African Americans and sharecroppers from Georgia, and her parents were raised during Jim Crow and segregation in America. She has a rich history and family background of individuals who are advocates, activists, and organizers for justice within the Black community. Their dedication and fight toward dismantling oppression ultimately shaped who she is, her leadership capabilities, and what has led her to becoming an abolitionist.

LaShawn is a Licensed Associate Counselor in New Jersey and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). She currently sees clients at Hearts Empowerment Counseling Center, a private practice, providing individual and group counseling to Black women and adolescents. She is the current president of the Chi Sigma Iota chapter at Montclair State University and the secretary for Counselors for Social Justice. She is an adjunct faculty at Kean University and Montclair State University. Her research interests include centering the stories and experiences of historically marginalized populations, including Black women, BIPOC individuals, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. She has adopted an intersectional framework by using social justice theories in her work that acknowledges all facets of an individual's identity and examines counseling relationships and dynamics from various perspectives.

LaShawn is a previous recipient of the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program as a master's student in 2018.

Elizabeth V. Aguilar (she/her) – Denton, Texas

Elizabeth Aguilar is a graduate of the University of North Texas and The College of Idaho. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at the University of North Texas, where she specializes in play therapy.

Elizabeth's research interests include multiculturalism, social justice, and advocacy across the lifespan. She is passionate about strengthening and cultivating inclusive spaces and practices in play therapy. Additionally, she is a bilingual (Spanish and English) counselor dedicated to serving bilingual clients to provide linguistically accessible services. Elizabeth is committed to immersing herself in the community to continue to amplify marginalized populations in need of additional support. Specifically, she is working toward understanding how the multicultural orientation of play therapists impact the cultural identity exploration of multicultural populations, particularly child clients in play therapy and their caregivers.

Elizabeth serves as an assistant director at the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas. In this position, she provides free, accessible, and bilingual play therapy services to children in local Title 1 schools. She has been instrumental in providing free long-term services to autistic children, bilingual children, monolingual Spanish-speaking children, children with high acuity needs, and children with domestic violence backgrounds.

Elizabeth aims to continue to provide culturally inclusive counseling services to children, families, and individuals. She is determined to fastidiously serve populations in need and to take full advantage of her time as an NBCC Fellow to help grow her community.

Lisa Ali (she/her) – Denver, Colorado

Lisa Ali is a graduate of the University of Akron and the University of Northern Colorado. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Adams State University.

Lisa is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado. She has a minority-serving private practice assisting individuals in developing their identities and addressing trauma through a holistic healing lens. She strives to offer a space where people feel safe to be vulnerable and empowered as they grow into their authentic selves.

Lisa is invested in empowering individuals via counseling, supervision, education, and research through a social justice lens. She is passionate about implementing anti-oppression and social justice practices in all the spaces she enters as a counselor, supervisor, educator, researcher, and advocate. Her academic focus is exploring frameworks that address all aspects of identity for racially/ethnically marginalized populations who are also adoptees.

The NBCC MFP will provide Lisa with access to valuable resources and professional relationships as well as opportunities for training and professional development while she begins to establish her professional identity as a counselor educator, researcher, supervisor, and advocate. Her goal is to continue to work with clients who identify as part of the LGBTQI+ community or a community of color, to teach in an institute that serves students of underserved and underrepresented communities, provide therapeutic services and supervision to new counselors entering the field through a lens of decolonizing practices, and conduct research that centers the LGBTQI+ community and communities of color.

Angela Renee Banks (she/her) – Cleveland, Ohio

Angela Banks is a graduate of Cleveland State University and Ohio University. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Antioch University–Seattle.

Angela is a licensed therapist and is the owner and executive director of her private practice, The Clarity Couch. She specializes in providing services to individuals who represent marginalized communities, specifically Black women that identify with the strong Black woman schema. Her research interests include the strong Black woman schema, racialized trauma, and gendered racism.

In 2022, Angela received the Valeria Harper Cultural Competency Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Greater Cleveland for the work she and her team are doing at The Clarity Couch. She is passionate about reducing stigma in underserved populations and decolonizing the mental health professions. Angela hopes to use this fellowship as a way to continue building professional relationships and skills that positively impact her clinical work and research.

Kendra YaNae Bircher (she/her) – Tyler, Texas

Kendra Bircher is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University and The University of Texas at Tyler. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Adams State University.

Kendra is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified School Counselor in Texas. She also teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Adams State University. Her research interests focus on addressing barriers to mental health care and promoting equitable school counseling practices for marginalized adolescent populations, specifically Black, Brown, and gender nonconforming.

Kendra has worked in Title I public schools for 10 years as a teacher, master teacher, and school counselor. She has also provided group counseling to youth in the juvenile justice system utilizing restorative justice practices. Currently, she is the lead mental health counselor for a local school district and provides mental health counseling to high school students. Through her membership in the Alpha Sigma Chi Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, she is developing mentorship opportunities for school counselors in training that establishes their culturally sustaining professional identity.

Through the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program, Kendra will continue her leadership and advocacy efforts that directly impact marginalized adolescent populations. She will use the award to fund her education and dissertation efforts centered on the harmful impacts of “niceness” in school counseling. Additionally, the fellowship will assist her in developing her professional identity as a Black woman researcher and scholar in counselor education.

Stephanie M. Carr (she/her) – Grapevine, Texas

Stephanie Carr is a graduate of Dallas Seminary and the University of Texas at Dallas. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and play therapy program at the University of North Texas.

Stephanie is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas and a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina. Her clinical experiences span from the highest level of care to the lowest level of care. She is currently serving the Denton area community through providing pro bono play therapy to children in Title 1 schools and low-cost counseling to children and adults. Her research interest is in transracial adoptive families and multiculturally responsive filial interventions. Her purpose in completing her PhD is to increase minority and marginalized children's access to mental health services and expand counselor education research on multicultural issues. This fellowship provides an opportunity for her to develop as a culturally responsive counselor educator through mentorship, scholarship, and connection with culturally diverse counselors.

Lin A. Chiu (she/her) – Kansas City, Missouri

Lin Chiu is a graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University and the University of Missouri–Kansas City. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Kansas State University.

Lin's research interests include the factors that contribute to vicarious post-traumatic growth on counselors who work with underserved communities. While underserved and disenfranchised populations can be exposed to traumatic experiences, she is also interested in learning about the factors that impact the development of their resiliency and growth.

Lin has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years, holding roles as a clinical case manager; wraparound facilitator; and therapist for kids, adults, and families from different ethnic backgrounds. Currently, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Kansas, a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri, and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Lin works in a nonprofit community mental health agency providing individual mental health therapy services to adult clients who are diagnosed with chronic mental illness and/or have a history of substance use. She is interested in adapting different therapy modalities to marginalized and underserved populations.

Having been born in Peru and also having Chinese roots, she is very passionate about learning about different cultures. This fellowship will provide her with opportunities to become more involved in her research, be able to attend conferences and trainings, increase her advocacy efforts for underserved populations, and increase her leadership and clinical skills.

Mariah Elizabeth Couser (she/her) – Hamilton, Ohio

Mariah Elizabeth Couser is a graduate of Richmont Graduate University and Bryan College. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Liberty University.

Mariah strives to serve the underrepresented population of children within the mental health field. By researching attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, she aims to teach counselors strategies to use when integrating children's guardians into their sessions for greater success in treating minors in therapy.

Mariah is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor in the state of Ohio and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). She believes individuals grow when provided with a safe and comfortable atmosphere, paired with acceptance, empathy, guidance, and understanding. She has experience in various techniques such as interpersonal theory, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), person-centered therapy, play therapy, trauma-focused CBT, parent-child interactive therapy, and client-centered techniques. Mariah enjoys working with children and adolescents experiencing anxiety, ADHD, autism, depression, school problems, parent/child relationships, behavior problems, PTSD, trauma, and more. She has experience working with children as young as 2 ½ through adolescence in varying home, family, and school environments. She assists parents in building a healthy relationship with their children and providing guidance to advocate for their child in different settings.

This fellowship will assist Mariah to become more involved with others who share the same passion and drive for minors in mental health, and will provider her with education, training, and research opportunities.

Emily Jean Allen Decker (she/they) – Washington, DC

Emily Decker is a graduate of Portland State University and Oregon State University. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at George Washington University.

Emily identifies as a multiple-disabled queer person. In addition to running a disability-centered private practice since 2016, she is a graduate assistant at George Washington University. Her research focuses on disability as a facet of multicultural competence, addressing barriers to success for disabled counselors and counseling students, and promoting accessibility and universal design within counseling spaces. Emily's passion for “going directly to the need” has led her to work in schools, emergency rooms, crisis centers, housing transition programs, skill rehabilitation programs, community mental health agencies, and everywhere in between. In her private practice, she is a pioneer of accessibility and has been providing telehealth and in-home mental health care for rural Oregonians with disabilities since 2016. Emily now provides disability-affirmative supervision to counselors in training with disabilities.

Daniel Dosal-Terminel (he/his/El) – Atlanta, Georgia

Daniel Dosal-Terminel is a graduate of St. Edward's University and the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and practice program at Georgia State University.

Daniel is an immigrant and counselor from Mexico. He is a researcher, educator, supervisor-in-training, and National Certified Counselor (NCC). He is trained in narrative exposure therapy and working toward a play therapy certification. His overall research agenda is focused on social justice in counselor training and multicultural counseling considerations. He has investigated the experiences of bilingual counselors seeking and receiving supervision, refugee meaning-making experiences, and school counselors who participated in affinity groups designed to reflect critically on white racial identity and anti-racist school counseling practices.

Daniel has a passion for working with Spanish-speaking children/adolescents and families. He has experience providing mental health services in schools, religious organizations, and nonprofits. He currently provides mental health services for vulnerable migrant populations such as refugees and asylum seekers. His passion is to create and provide access to mental health services in community settings for underrepresented families. Daniel hopes that this fellowship will help him connect with like-minded counselors.

Mia Garcia (she/her) – Gastonia, North Carolina

Mia Garcia is a graduate of Wake Forest University and Brigham Young University–Idaho. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Mia is a Professional School Counselor and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate in North Carolina, and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). She currently provides trauma-informed play therapy to urban children and has experience providing mental health services and education to at-risk children in Title 1 schools, Nepal, and Uganda. Her professional identity is strongly tied to advocating for historically marginalized and oppressed children who have experienced trauma, while increasing the accessibility of culturally affirming research-based practices.

Mia is currently working on developing a new model for identifying suicidal risk and behavior in elementary-aged children. Her research focuses on creating new tools to help mental health clinicians and school counselors better identify suicidality in children ages 4–11, specifically acknowledging the differences observed in Black, Brown, and immigrant children living in urban areas. She is interested in researching and developing training for counselors to better support immigrant children and English language learners through a nonwesternized lens. This fellowship will help provide the training necessary for Mia to grow as a researcher, content expert, and educator. It will also provide her with invaluable mentorship and networking to grow her professional identity and better serve the community.

Jasmine R. Garrison (she/her) – Charlotte, North Carolina

Jasmine Garrison is a graduate of Xavier University and Miami University of Ohio. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Capella University.

Jasmine's research interests include exploring the lived experiences of clients, counselors, and counselor educators from historically marginalized communities. Through her work, she aims to shed light on the unique challenges faced by these communities and to foster a greater understanding of their needs within the realm of mental health. By delving into the intricacies of these experiences, Jasmine hopes to contribute to developing effective, culturally responsive, and decolonized counseling practices. She seeks to identify ways to destigmatize mental health through counseling, supervision, teaching, leadership, and research that will result in effective, culturally responsive, and decolonized counseling practices.

Jasmine is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist Associate who has worked with children, adults, families, and couples from underserved populations in various settings, including community mental health, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, residential, schools, and outpatient agencies. Currently, she owns a private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she assists clients in freeing themselves of the hold that anxiety, trauma, and other concerns have on their lives.

Jasmine envisions a future where mental health is openly discussed, understood, and addressed with sensitivity to diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences. She believes that the NBCC MFP fellowship will expose her to opportunities to continue to advocate and make this vision a reality.

J. Angel Dianna (she/her) – Winston-Salem, NC

J. Angel Dianna is a graduate of Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is currently a doctoral student in the counseling and counselor education program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Angel is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist Associate in North Carolina, where she primarily works with the South Asian population in her area. She is passionate about meeting the needs of Asian and South Asian clients, students, and professionals by researching how counseling programs can better recruit, retain, and support students from diverse backgrounds. This fellowship will help her connect with South Asian counseling students and professionals, as well as counseling programs that endeavor to meet the needs of diverse student populations. This fellowship will also provide Angel with resources to further promote her research goals to better serve the Asian population at a systemic level.

Daun Kwag (she/her) – Atlanta, Georgia

Daun Kwag is a graduate of Boston University and Emory University. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and practice program at Georgia State University.

Daun is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and currently serves as a professional counselor at a Korean-owned private practice that primarily serves the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations. She also works as a mental health consultant for the Atlanta chapter of Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), a national nonprofit organization that is dedicated to promoting social justice, organization, civic engagement, and equitable civil rights for the AANHPI communities. Her clinical, research, and advocacy interests surround AANHPI mental health, migrant experiences, and trauma.

Daun is passionate about leveraging interdisciplinary efforts to enact systemic change and elevate unheard stories of marginalized groups. Therefore, this fellowship will be instrumental in supporting her scholarly and community-based activities in the upcoming year. She will be given opportunities to receive intentional training and mentorship that will hone her expertise and confidence in bringing mental health care and knowledge to the AANHPI communities, as well as training future counselors on how to work with these populations in a culturally responsive manner. Furthermore, the fellowship will support Daun's dissertation endeavors, train her to be an effective advocate, and send her to conferences to disseminate knowledge about working with marginalized communities.

Nehemiah McClendon (he/his) – Brunswick, Georgia

Nehemiah McClendon is a graduate of Georgia Southern University. He is currently a doctoral student in the counseling education and supervision program at the University of Georgia.

Nehemiah's current research focuses on the systematic and arbitrary removal of Black and Brown students inside the educational system. He is a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor (NCC) serving as a school-based mental health counselor. He employs an integrated humanistic, cognitive approach featuring multiculturalism and expressive arts to connect with his clients. He utilizes evidence-based practices to help clients work through severe trauma and emotional dysregulation.

Nehemiah is passionate about public speaking and facilitating workshops for training and development. He has keynoted several national conferences covering mental health, sexual assault awareness, diversity and inclusion, and the history of Black bondage in America. He has collaborated with several organizations, universities, and businesses across the southern region, including Savannah College of Art and Design; the University of Alabama; and the United States Navy's Strategic Weapons Facility, Atlantic (SWFLANT).

This fellowship will support Nehemiah in enhancing his clinical skills to serve and advocate for marginalized Black youth communities and aid in providing mentoring opportunities and mental health resources to the Black community. He is committed to conducting research that tackles systemic barriers hindering the educational advancement of youth of color. Moreover, Nehemiah aims to enhance and uncover evidence-based approaches that facilitate the healing and recovery of Black adolescents experiencing trauma.

Nia S. Page (she/her) – Orlando, Florida

Nia Page is a graduate of Rollins College and High Point University. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education program at the University of Florida.

Nia is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), as well as a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern in the state of Florida. She was named a 2021–2022 Emerging Leader by the American College Counseling Association (ACCA). She also received the 2021 Outstanding Graduate Student in Counseling award among her master's level cohort.

Nia is a graduate research assistant within the School of Human Development and Organizational Studies situated in the College of Education at the University of Florida. She deeply enjoys continued growth through service as a doctoral-level clinical supervisor in the individual, triadic, and group formats. Her research interests include the impacts of intergenerational anti-Black racial trauma, race-based emotional and psychological distress, Black feminist thought, Black women's and femme mental health, liberation psychology, and critical pedagogies.

Nia serves client populations including Black individuals and other racially and ethnically marginalized individuals; gender-expansive people; queer people; and traditional, nontraditional, and first-generation college students. She finds it to be her personal and professional responsibility to advocate for oppressed voices, through practices of intentional identity exploration, strengths-building, and overall empowerment.

This fellowship will assist Nia to address adversities and experiences of violence and oppression experienced among Black women. She hopes to continue the work of identifying and implementing culturally responsive counseling interventions for those who survive anti-Black racial trauma in their daily lives.

Betsy Marina Perez (she/her) – Los Angeles, CA

Betsy Perez is a graduate of the University of San Diego and Trinity College. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Old Dominion University.

Betsy is a licensed professional school counselor and National Certified Counselor (NCC) who has several years of experience working at P–12 schools in the states of California and Washington. She is committed to serving students and families from historically marginalized populations and has worked extensively with these communities in her capacity as a school counselor.

Betsy is currently interested in researching aspects of social justice advocacy within school counseling and how master's-level counseling students are trained in social justice advocacy. Additionally, she would like to explore the experiences of Latinx/a/o/es who enter the field of school counseling. Her dissertation research will explore the lived experiences of school counselors within charter schools who use social justice advocacy. With a passion for elevating the voices of historically marginalized populations, this fellowship will allow Betsy to continue her advocacy work, train as a school counselor educator, and find pathways for mentorship as both a mentor and mentee.

Ellie Potts (she/her) – Suwanee, Georgia

Ellie Potts is a graduate of Georgia State University and Mercer University. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at the University of Georgia.

Ellie is interested in universal design for learning (UDL) and ways to apply it to counseling and counselor education. Many people, especially those from marginalized communities, face challenges connecting with counselors who are trained using traditional pedagogies, which can ignore important aspects of culture, learning style, and disability. Furthermore, counselors in training that come from diverse backgrounds may struggle to master the concepts of counseling because of how they are taught. Her goal it to use the tools of UDL to increase accessibility, choice, and agency in the process of counselor education to help counselors in training learn in a way that better fits the modern practice of counseling. She works with the Institute of Human Development and Disability at the University of Georgia, along with other research and counseling efforts.

This fellowship will help Ellie to connect with other counselor educators and researchers who share her interest in improving the practice of counselor education to better serve people from marginalized communities. It will also support her in attending conferences, networking with colleagues, and continuing her research in UDL.

Nadiya Boyce-Rosen (she/her) – Boca Raton, FL

Nadiya Rosen is a graduate of the University of West Georgia and Florida State University. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Florida Atlantic University.

Nadiya holds certifications as a school counselor in Georgia and Florida, a Registered Clinical Mental Health Intern (RCMHI) in Florida, and a National Certified Counselor (NCC).

With a background in child therapy and experience as a school counselor, Nadiya thrives on helping children and adolescents overcome challenges and discover their inner resilience. She incorporates various therapeutic approaches, such as play therapy, expressive arts, and mindfulness-based practices, to support her clients and students. Her professional interests revolve around addressing social determinants of health in counseling and school counseling, helping counseling professionals incorporate microaffirmations and cultural humility within their practice, and play therapy research and practice. Nadiya aims to conduct research studies centered on improving the mental and physical health outcomes of children, adolescents, and families in under-resourced communities.

This fellowship will provide invaluable support as Nadiya completes her PhD, offering mentorship, educational opportunities, and leadership development. Additionally, it will foster her research skills and advocacy efforts, enabling her to contribute further to the profession.

Sunder Singhani (he/his) – Athens, Ohio

Sunder Singhani is a graduate of Bridgewater State University, the Indian Institute of Technology, and Harvard University. He is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Ohio University (OU).

Sunder is passionate about research; teaching; and applying mindfulness, compassion, spirituality, and neuroscience to counseling underserved populations. These individuals include adolescents and young adults, BIPOC people, severely economically challenged people, and the intersectionality of these group identities. Further, he seeks to help establish and bolster the resilience and multicultural and social justice counseling competence of both present and future counselors.

Sunder is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Ohio, a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a qualified teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and founder and president of Ohio University's Mindfulness-Based Living. He is also a graduate assistant at OU Counseling and Psychological Services, where he counsels student athletes. He has conducted significant studies that encompass the effects of mindfulness on the multicultural counseling competence of counselors-in-training and, separately, the relationship of trait mindfulness of adolescents to their suicidal thinking and behavior.

This fellowship will enable Sunder to continue doing pro bono individual and group counseling with underserved populations at a community mental health agency, lead mindfulness groups at OU with young adults, conduct research on spirituality as a protective factor for BIPOC counselors and clients, and teach multicultural and social justice counseling competencies.

Lindsay M. Syeh (she/her) – Miami, Florida

Lindsay M. Syeh is a graduate of Barry University, Oakwood University, and Andrews University. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program with an emphasis in marital, couples, and family therapy at Barry University.

Lindsay is a faith leader, mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist, and National Certified Counselor (NCC). Growing up in an urban community, she often experienced the impacts of systemic racial injustices and transgenerational trauma. Her professional interests seek to dispel cultural, societal, and systemic stigmas about receiving mental health care amongst BIPOC suffering from trauma. Additionally, guiding her community to understand the intersections between faith, spirituality, and mental wellness and how an understanding of it can lead to deeper purpose, meaning, authenticity, and wholehearted living.

Lindsay's current research interest is studying the effects of compassion fatigue on spiritual leaders and mental health providers in communities of color. This fellowship will allow her to advance in her education, grow in her professional identity, attend and present at conferences, and engage in advocacy and community engagement among people of color.

Kaleb A. Thompson (he/his) – Denton, Texas

Kaleb Thompson is a graduate of the University of Central Florida. He is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at the University of North Texas.

Kaleb's research agenda is focused on improving the lives and well-being of children, adolescents, and families. His work is especially dedicated to individuals who have been marginalized and are experiencing adversity at disproportionate rates. Currently, he is investigating the needs of youth and families within the transgender and gender-expansive community in light of the anti-LGBTGEQIAP+ legislation escalating around the United States. He is passionate about supporting vulnerable populations through early intervention, curriculum development, and social justice advocacy.

Kaleb is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern in Florida, a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate in Texas, and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). He was previously an editorial assistant for the Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling (JCAC) and is a current editorial assistant for the Journal of Counseling and Development (JCD). Kaleb is passionate about advocacy and inclusion within empirical research and other scholarly literature. Additionally, he has clinical experience in nonprofit community mental health agencies, integrative healthcare, and the K–12 setting, and he is actively pursuing his registered play therapist credential with a mission to advance the field of Adlerian play therapy.

The fellowship is crucial to the success of Kaleb's research agenda and future endeavors as it provides training, mentorship, and access to other professionals fiercely dedicated to service. He cannot wait to see what this group can accomplish together.

Tera Brownlee Warfield (she/her) – Memphis, Tennessee

Tera Brownlee Warfield is a graduate of the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program also at the University Of Memphis.

Tera is interested in researching Black mental health practitioners' experiences seeking personal therapy. She is passionate about working to support Black counselors as they support marginalized communities. She is a licensed professional counselor and mental health service provider in Tennessee and Mississippi. She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Certified Employee Assistance Professional. She has over a decade of experience serving adults and children in acute mental health hospitals and in-home, residential, and outpatient settings. She has years of experience working with underserved, marginalized populations and supervising counselors-in-training and master's-level counselors.

Tera is currently an EAP counselor/consultant for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, serving the greater Memphis and Mississippi areas. She serves women (primarily women of color) struggling with life transitions, past trauma, anxiety, and depression through her private practice, Life Renew Counseling, PLLC. She is also a graduate assistant for the associate dean of the College of Education at the University of Memphis. Tera works with Memphis community organizations providing supervision, consultation and training to counselors working with minority populations. She is the doctoral president of the Kappa Zeta chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, the international counseling academic and professional honor society.

The MFP fellowship will assist Tera in obtaining her doctoral degree and increasing her skills to support marginalized populations.

Lynell Williams (she/her) – Snellville, GA

Lynell Williams is a graduate of Georgia Southern University. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at the University of Georgia.

Lynell is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor (NCC). She currently works in private practice and started her website, Get Mindful With Me, to empower women who struggle with ADHD, perfectionism, and attachment building. She currently works with individuals and groups and utilizes approaches integrated with mindfulness, attachment-based therapy, and cognitive-behavioral interventions.

Lynell's research passions include mental health disparities in Black women, specifically ADHD in Black women, and the many areas that are affected when left undiagnosed and untreated. This fellowship will help her to promote awareness and advocacy of the underdiagnosis of ADHD in Black women and create resources to remove barriers and close the gaps in assessments and culturally informed treatment.