Ann Ordway has a Juris Doctor, an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. Ann has published and presented about advocacy for children, high conflict family dynamics, counselors in court-involved roles, and ethics.  She is the author of the upcoming 9th edition of the Counselor and the Law, published by ACA and is a member of the ACA Ethics Revision Task Force.  Ann is the program director at AFCC, a non-profit, international, multidisciplinary membership organization that provides education and training for family court-involved professionals. 

Taylor M. Falardeau is affiliated with the Department of Human Services at The University of Toledo. Her research focuses on counseling practice, particularly how emerging trends such as self-diagnosis and digital information influence client experiences and clinical work.

Madeline Clark is with the Department of Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her work centers on counselor education and clinical training, with an emphasis on preparing counselors for evolving client needs.

John M. Laux is a faculty member in the Department of Counselor Education at The University of Toledo. His work centers on counselor education, professional development, and research addressing issues that affect counselors’ well-being and practice effectiveness.

Susan M. Long is also affiliated with The University of Toledo’s Department of Human Services. Her professional interests include counselor training, clinical applications, and mental health service delivery.

Jennifer Reynolds is part of the Department of Human Services at The University of Toledo. Her work focuses on counseling practice and supporting diverse client populations.

Rachel Jacoby Ph.D., LPCC-S (OH), NCC, ACS, CFLE is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervisory Endorsements (LPCC-S), National Certified Counselor (NCC), Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE), Certified Trauma Practitioner, and Autplay therapist who passionately enjoys working with children, adolescents, and families. She is an Assistant Professor at Palo Alto University. Rachel values working with individuals on a personal and collaborative level, while building strong interpersonal relationships. With this consideration, she utilizes an existential-humanistic framework for her counseling relationships; while integrating evidence-based experiences through cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy, and narrative approaches. Rachel's clinical experiences include working with neurodiverse populations and individuals who have experienced trauma. Additionally, she values collaborative relationships to provide the best care to her clients, including working closely with families, schools, and allied medical professionals. As a counselor educator, she is passionate about enhancing the counseling field through education, leadership, and advocacy. She intentionally integrates creative approaches into her pedagogy. She has held many leadership roles in organizations, including the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC), Northcentral Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NCACES), Association of Humanistic Counseling (AHC), Ohio Counseling Association (OCA), and Chi Sigma Iota (CSI). She is currently the Past-President for ACAC, serving as President in the 2022-2023 year. Rachel is also a board member of the ACA Ethics Committee. She has been recognized for her leadership and advocacy work with the 2024 ACES Supervisor Award, awarded by the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), the 2023 Robert H. Rencken Emerging Professional Leader award by the American Counseling Association, and the 2021 Carol Bobby Pioneer for Visionary Leadership award presented by CACREP.

Lambers Fisher, MS, LMFT, MDiv, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, clinical supervisor, adjunct instructor, award-winning author, and national speaker on the topic of multicultural awareness and diversity.  For over 20 years, Lambers has counseled individuals, couples, and families from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Lambers utilizes his marriage and family therapist experience to bring a positive, shame-free, empowering, and relationship-focused approach to equip helping professionals in various fields to increase their cultural self-awareness, reduce the frequency of unintentional cultural offenses, repair relationships damaged by cultural offenses, and increase confidence in their ability to meet the needs of whomever they have the opportunity to serve.  Lambers’ acclaimed TEDx talk on “What to Do When You Offend Someone” has been viewed over 500,000 times. Lambers is also the author of the award-winning book, Diversity in Clinical Practice: A Practical & Shame-Free Guide to Reducing Cultural Offenses & Repairing Cross-Cultural Relationships. 

Alfonso Ferguson, Ph.D., LMHC, LPC, ACS, NCC is an Afro-Caribbean male who migrated to the U.S. during his formative years. His Caribbean heritage has shaped his identity as an adult, partner and professional. Alfonso's personal mission is to provide brave and safe spaces for marginalized to communities to feel heard, affirmed, and celebrated. Alfonso is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (NY; FL), Licensed Professional Counselor (NJ), Approved Clinical Supervisor, and National Certified Counselor. He prides himself on providing culturally responsive counseling services to underserved communities. Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling from Montclair State University and now holds a position as a core faculty member in the Counseling department at Saybrook University. As a counselor educator, Alfonso contributes to the diversity readiness of the counseling field by preparing counselors in training to be culturally responsive in their work with intersectionally minoritized communities. He intentionally teaches all courses through a social justice lens. He believes that if we effectively prepare counselors of tomorrow, we are all more likely to have a better future. Alfonso has gained a variety of experiences in individual and family counseling services to those who are experiencing psychosocial stressors, family issues, and mood disorders. He has a strong interest to work with LGBTQ+ Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) struggling with mood disorders and psychosocial stressors. His clinical experiences include case management, inpatient therapy, outpatient therapy, private practice owner, supervision, and consultation. Alfonso is the founder and executive director of GoodWerk, a group psychotherapy private practice where he and his team provide counseling services to individuals, couples and families living in New York, New Jersey, and Florida. 

LaShawn “Shawnie” Adams is a cis-gender Black woman from Newark, New Jersey. She is a doctoral candidate in Montclair State University’s Counseling program. She’s a 2023 recipient of the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program and a Licensed Associate Counselor in New Jersey. She’s the past president of the Chi Sigma Iota chapter at Montclair State University and the treasurer for the Counselors for Social Justice. Shawnie is an adjunct counselor educator teaching counseling courses at Montclair State University and Kean University. She works in private practice at Hearts Empowerment Counseling Center, providing individual and group counseling sessions to BIPOC women and adolescents.

Sunanda “Suni” Sharma is a doctoral candidate in the Counseling PhD program at Montclair State University. She is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of New Jersey, a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) in the state of Ohio, and a nationally certified counselor (NCC). Suni received her master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Monmouth University in 2019. Suni remains engaged in clinical work in private practice at Empowerment Center, LLC in New Jersey where she provides telehealth counseling services. Suni has served as a master’s level NBCC minority addictions fellow in 2018 and a doctoral minority fellow in 2022. Suni highly values advocacy work as well and has been volunteering with the only domestic violence shelter that works with South Asian survivors of domestic violence for the last several years. 

Bisola E. Duyile, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Counseling at Montclair State University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (DC, VA), a Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider, and a National Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. She has experience working with families and individuals with disabilities. Bisola's research examines how social determinants of health factors influence family functioning, resilience, and mental health concerns. Specifically, through interdisciplinary efforts, she explores equity, the lived experiences of families of children with developmental disabilities, and the impactful roles of counselors and counselor educators

Dr. Mariaimeé Gonzalez (she/her/ella) is a counselor educator, human rights advocate, and scholar with two decades of experience advancing social justice, Indigenous wellness, and mental liberation through higher education, counseling, and community-based mental health work. Since 2008, she has shaped master’s- and doctoral-level counseling programs, mentoring students, guiding research, and preparing the next generation of socially conscious and culturally grounded mental health professionals. A committed leader and advocate, Dr. Gonzalez currently serves as the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Governing Council Representative (2025–2028) and on the executive board of the American Counseling Association of Washington State. Her scholarship amplifies Indigenous, Latine, and other marginalized voices, with publications focused on social justice, cultural responsiveness, leadership, and counselor education. She is the recipient of multiple mentorship and service awards and is co-developing a textbook centered on Indigenous wellness. In addition to her scholarly work, Dr. Gonzalez maintains a private practice dedicated to immigration justice, providing culturally responsive mental health services and advocacy for Indigenous, immigrant, and other historically underserved communities.

Dr. Mariaimeé Gonzalez (she/her/ella) is a counselor educator, human rights advocate, and scholar with two decades of experience advancing social justice, Indigenous wellness, and mental liberation through higher education, counseling, and community-based mental health work. Since 2008, she has shaped master’s- and doctoral-level counseling programs, mentoring students, guiding research, and preparing the next generation of socially conscious and culturally grounded mental health professionals. A committed leader and advocate, Dr. Gonzalez currently serves as the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Governing Council Representative (2025–2028) and on the executive board of the American Counseling Association of Washington State. Her scholarship amplifies Indigenous, Latine, and other marginalized voices, with publications focused on social justice, cultural responsiveness, leadership, and counselor education. She is the recipient of multiple mentorship and service awards and is co-developing a textbook centered on Indigenous wellness. In addition to her scholarly work, Dr. Gonzalez maintains a private practice dedicated to immigration justice, providing culturally responsive mental health services and advocacy for Indigenous, immigrant, and other historically underserved communities.

Laura C. Craven is affiliated with the Department of Education Studies at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Her academic work focuses on advancing scholarship and practice within the field of education studies, contributing to the preparation and development of educators and researchers.

Alexander M. Fields, PhD, is a faculty member in the Counseling Department at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His academic and professional work contributes to advancing the field of counseling through teaching, research, and service, with a focus on preparing future counselors to meet the diverse needs of their communities.

Ryan G. Carlson, PhD, is a licensed mental health counselor with specialized training in multiple couples counseling and relationship education approaches. He has experience in both private practice and community mental health settings. His research and publications focus on outcomes for low-income couples and individuals who participate in relationship education, effective strategies for recruiting and retaining low-income populations in research, and intimate partner violence typologies with implications for counseling practice.

Elizabeth M. Combs, PhD, is a faculty member in the Department of Education Studies at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Her work focuses on advancing research, teaching, and practice in education, with a commitment to preparing and supporting educators to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Emily S. Howe is a faculty member in the Department of Education Studies at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Her work focuses on advancing research and practice in education studies, contributing to the preparation and development of future educators.

Julia M. Wedemeyer, is the founder of InnerVision Resources, LLC, a trauma-responsive private practice providing counseling, consultation, and educational services through a virtual office serving clients across Ohio and a main office in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Ohio and a National Certified Counselor with advanced credentials in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy and as a Certified Trauma Professional. 

With more than 30 years of experience in the counseling field, Julia has worked across clinical, educational, and community-based settings. Her clinical approach integrates EMDR, Somatic EMDR, Applied Polyvagal Theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS)/Parts Work, and other mind–body interventions. Her areas of focus include complex trauma, post-traumatic stress injury, addiction recovery, disordered eating, attachment repair, and relationship concerns. 

Julia also provides professional development training for clinicians and organizations on trauma-responsive care, nervous system regulation, counselor well-being, and culturally responsive practice. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Counseling Association and the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, and is currently developing professional resources for clinicians working with complex trauma.