Dr. Katherine Bacon is a distinguished leader in counselor education, advocacy, and nonprofit management, bringing more than three decades of experience advancing mental-health access, professional excellence, and social equity. As a former foster care youth who aged out of care, she carries a deep personal understanding of systemic inequities—an experience that continues to inform her work in policy, governance, and community-based support. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision, is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, and a Nationally Certified Counselor.

 
Dr. Bacon serves as a Trustee for The Harris Center for Mental Health & IDD, the largest local mental health authority in Texas, where she contributes her expertise in policy, ethics, and behavioral health governance. As Executive Director and founder of The Parris Foundation, she leads a mission-driven nonprofit providing free counseling, advocacy, and educational support to underserved communities. Her leadership has secured millions in grant funding for trauma-informed services, crime-victim advocacy, and educational pre-college programs that create pathways to opportunity.

 
Her statewide and national impact is further reflected through her service as Legislative Liaison to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and as Past President of the Texas Counseling Association. In these roles, she testified before legislative bodies, trained hundreds of counselors in advocacy, and influenced mental-health policy reforms.

 
As a university professor, Dr. Bacon teaches Advanced Ethics and Law, guiding counselors in understanding how governance intersects with professional counseling through business and family law, professional practice standards, and the study of board rules designed to protect clients. Her teaching emphasizes the connection between ethical decision-making, policy awareness, and effective advocacy.
In the ACA Advocacy in Action series, Dr. Bacon facilitates “Everyday Advocacy: Big and Small” and “Understanding How Government Works,” empowering counselors to transform insight into impact through ethical, informed, and practical advocacy.

Dr. Kerri C. L. McCullough is a distinguished mental health professional and educator with extensive experience in counseling, clinical supervision, and academic instruction. She completed her Doctor of Education in Counselor Education and Supervision from Argosy University's CACREP-accredited program in 2018, where her dissertation examined colorism and its effects on self-esteem and resilience across generations of African American women. Her academic foundation includes a Master of Arts in Community Counseling, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. In 2024, she further expanded her expertise by earning an Associate of Arts in Nursing from Howard Community College. As an Adjunct Assistant Professor at both Virginia State University and Walden University Dr. McCullough teaches a range of counseling courses including Theories of Counseling, Research Methods, and Foundations Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She owns and operates Strong Life Counseling, LLC, where she provides clinical supervision and mental health services. In her role as Director and Clinical Supervisor at Family Service Foundation Inc., she oversees practitioners' work, manages clinic operations, and ensures compliance with clinical documentation and licensure requirements. Dr. McCullough also serves in the District of Columbia Air National Guard as a Public Health Technician, providing medical intelligence briefings and working to prevent disease outbreaks among service members. She regularly presents at national conferences and has authored several publications and manuscripts on trauma, colorism, and professional development in counseling.