Counseling Leadership and Faculty
The leadership and faculty of Southern New Hampshire University’s online master’s in counseling program bring years of real-world experience to students seeking to become clinical mental health counselors. They have designed our CACREP-accredited program to provide intensive clinical skills training within an innovative online format. Our instructors back up their counseling experience with the professional credentials needed to help you succeed in the field.
Dr. Eric Jett
Interim Senior Director
Dr. Eric Jett is currently a licensed counselor in the states of Oklahoma and Missouri, where he is also an approved license supervisor. He is a National Certified Counselor, as well as a Registered Play Therapy Supervisor.
Jett graduated with his Masters in Mental Health Counseling in 2010, and completed his PhD, in 2015, in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University. Jett has focused most of his career in counseling in two primary areas, trauma-focused treatment and substance abuse treatment services. With a history of working with a wide range of ages, he specializes in working with children and adolescents. As an academic and researcher, Jett has focused his analytic interests on the area of counseling supervision, more specifically counseling supervisor wellness and the impact of tertiary trauma on counseling supervisors.
Learn more about Jett in this faculty Q&A.
Dr. Karena J. Heyward
Interim Director of Counseling Programs
Dr. Karena J. Heyward received an MEd in Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling and a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from The College of William and Mary. She is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Virginia and a national certified counselor. Her clinical experience includes work with a variety of populations and presenting concerns, specializing in couples and family counseling.
Heyward has held faculty and administrative positions. She previously served as the president of the Virginia Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling and in various roles with the Virginia Association of Couples and Family Counseling. She is also a trained member of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team and Disaster Mental Health Team.
Heyward engages in continued scholarship, presenting at the state, regional and national levels. Her research interests include: body psychotherapy and somatic counseling, transpersonal psychology, sexuality counseling, the experiences of military personnel and their families, and international perspectives on the counseling profession.
Dr. Shanice Armstrong
Interim Director of Counseling Programs
Dr. Shanice Armstrong received her EdS in Counseling Psychology and PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas. Armstrong's clinical experiences include working with at-risk youth populations, higher education administration and intensive inpatient and outpatient settings.
As a counselor, counselor educator and advocate, Armstrong fervently believes in counseling as one of the most powerful tools to help transform the lives of others. Her scholarly activities are focused on reducing the stigma and barriers to counseling through a relational cultural lens.
Dr. Trinaa' L. Copeland
Interim Director of Counseling Programs
Dr. Trinaa' L. Copeland is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Michigan. Her fields of expertise are marriage and family counseling and nonprofit management and leadership.
Serving as a catalyst of change for people who, many times, are at their darkest hour, Copeland is best known for her ability to walk others through the pain of their past so they can excel in their future. Working through several different facets and platforms, she works to engage, counsel and teach clients to push past their immediate problems, allowing them to evolve into a better version of themselves. Practicing as a counselor for two decades and now a counselor educator, Copeland’s unique strategy of combining faith-based counseling with mental health treatment has transformed the lives of individuals, couples and small groups alike. This area of work led to her research focus on the Black Church and their beliefs about mental health treatment, which she plans to further explore in future research.
She has a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Walden University, a Master of Arts in Community Agency Counseling from Western Michigan University and a BA in Interpersonal Communication from WMU.
Dr. Kristi Cannon
Director of Counseling Programs, Assessment & Evaluation
Dr. Kristi Cannon is a licensed professional counselor in Texas and a nationally certified counselor. Her clinical experience includes work with a variety of populations, with particular focus on women's issues, adolescent issues and neurofeedback for the treatment of mood disorders.
She has been a counselor educator since 2008, serving as a faculty member at the master’s and doctoral levels, as well as holding administrative roles as the director of field experience and director of assessment and accreditation.
Cannon regularly presents research at the state and national levels and publishes scholarly writings for professional counseling journals and textbooks. Her research interests include counselor development, relational-cultural theory and assessment practices in higher education.
She received an MA in Community Counseling and a PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision from St. Mary's University.
Dr. Rodney E. Pennamon
Director of Counseling Programs, Professional Practice
Dr. Rodney E. Pennamon joined Southern New Hampshire University in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in higher education.
Prior to joining SNHU, Pennamon was a faculty member and leadership fellow for a large online counselor education program. He also held positions in health and human services in a variety of community and healthcare settings. As a counselor educator, his research interests are intergroup dialogue, social justice, interpersonal neurobiology and individuals with disabilities.
Pennamon is the co-author of “College Students with Asperger Syndrome: Practical Strategies to Ensure Social and Academic Success.” He was named an Emerging Scholar by the Association for Specialists in Group Work and is active with the American Counseling Association of Georgia.
Pennamon earned his PhD in Counseling & Student Personnel Services (Counselor Education) from the University of Georgia, MEd in Counseling & Psychological Services from Springfield College and BS in Political Science from Illinois State University. He is a National Certified Counselor and a licensed professional counselor.
Dr. Dominique Adkins
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Dominique Adkins is a licensed professional counselor in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, as well as an approved clinical supervisor.
Adkins has experience teaching in both clinical mental health counseling master’s programs and counselor education and supervision doctoral programs. She has over 10 years of experience in the counseling field working in both government agencies and private practice with clients of all ages.
Currently, she works with young adults, adolescents and families at her private practice and provides clinical supervision to residents in counseling. Her research interests include spirituality, religiosity, forgiveness, self-forgiveness and multicultural considerations in the counseling, supervision and teaching.
After completing her undergraduate work at Georgetown University, she obtained her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and doctorate in counselor education and supervision at Marymount University.
Dr. La Shonda S. Akins
Clinical Faculty
Dr. La Shonda Akins completed her undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, earning a BA in Criminal Justice. She earned an MA in Professional Counseling and an EdD in Counselor Education & Supervision from Argosy University in Atlanta. She is a licensed professional counselor in the State of Maryland and a national certified counselor.
Her clinical experience includes working with diverse populations such as children, adolescents and adults, along with providing inpatient and outpatient clinical addiction services.
Akins’ research and writing interests include the holistic wellness/health paradigm, wellness and self-care practices of African-American women, child & adolescent psychotherapy and addiction and mental health counseling. She frequently presents on the wellness paradigm. She has been an educator for 9 years, with teaching experience across the counseling curriculum.
Dr. Rabeena Alli
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Rabeena Alli earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Kent State University. She is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), National Certified Counselor (NCC) and approved clinical supervisor.
Alli has over 22 years of experience in the mental health profession. She has taught as a full time faculty member and adjunct instructor at campus-based and online institutions. In addition, her counseling experience includes working with diverse clients and students in university, public school, hospital and community mental health settings. She has co-written peer-reviewed journal articles, presented at state, regional, national and international conferences, and has served on several local, state and national counseling association committees.
Dr. Valerie Balog
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Valerie Balog received her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Virginia, her MEd in Community Counseling from Winthrop University and her BS in Social Work from California University of Pennsylvania. Balog is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPCS) in the state of North Carolina. She is also a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC).
Balog has 13 years of counselor education and supervision experience. She previously served as the Master’ s Program Director and Co-Director of Clinical Placements at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Balog’s clinical experience has focused on: loss and grief, terminal and chronic illness, working with older adults, managing life transitions and crisis counseling. She is a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Southern Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors (SACES).
Learn more about Balog in this faculty Q&A.
Dr. Natasha Barnes
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Natasha Barnes joined Southern New Hampshire University in 2022.
For over 15 years, Barnes has worked in the mental health profession as a counselor, supervisor and teacher. Her interests include career development, social justice, advocacy efforts in counseling and mental health issues experienced by military families. At present, Barnes heads a small private practice that provides career consultation for K-12 settings.
Barnes is active within the American Counseling Association, having served as former president of the Military and Government Counseling Association division and current co-chair of the Counselor Education Task Force in Counselors for Social Justice. She’s also co-chair of the National Career Development Association’s Diversity Committee.
Barnes earned her EdD from Argosy University, along with her MS in Counseling Psychology and BS from William Carey University. She’s a National Certified Counselor, Global Career Development Facilitator and Certified Career Counselor.
Dr. Esther Benoit
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Esther Benoit received her BA in Psychology from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas and continued on to the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, to earn her MEd in Marriage and Family Counseling (2006) and her PhD in Counselor Education (2009).
Benoit enjoys her role as clinical faculty at Southern New Hampshire University and primarily teaches field experience courses. In addition, she has worked as an individual and relational counselor in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area since 2006 and opened a small private practice in 2019. Her areas of clinical and research interest include counselor education and supervision, relational and systemic approaches to therapy, EMDR and radical rest.
Dr. Susan Blake
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Susan Blake earned her PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where her research focused on the experiences of newer counselors entering community mental health. She is a licensed clinical mental health counselor and supervisor in North Carolina. Blake completed her MA in Counseling in 2004 from Regent University. She also holds a graduate certificate in student affairs in higher education from East Carolina University.
Blake has worked in many clinical environments, including nonprofit community mental health, private practice, employee assistance and university counseling centers. Her clinical experiences have fueled her desire to prepare and support counselors to make an impact in the real world through strong counselor identity and social justice perspectives. In addition to clinical work, she has been a counselor educator for several years and has provided supervision for counselors-in-training and those pursuing licensure.
Built on over 16 years of clinical experience, Blake’s counseling and teaching approach centers on encouraging others to use self-awareness to realize the power they have to change their lives. She is a proud first-generation student who wants to see others succeed in spite of barriers.
Dr. Sarah Campbell
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Sarah Campbell earned her MS in Mental Health Counseling and PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Capella University. Her dissertation examined the lived experiences of counselors in training (CIT) and their process of becoming social justice advocates. She holds the following credentials: National Certified Counselor (NCC), Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), and Board Certified Telemental Health (BC-TMH) through the CCE and her counseling license and standard school certification in social work in the State of New Jersey. Campbell has diverse clinical experience, with most of her experience in school-based, drug and alcohol, and private practice treatment settings.
Campbell has over ten years of online teaching experience in counselor education. Additionally, she has developed academic and training curriculum for counselor education, student success, and psychology programs. She has also produced programming for non-profit agencies focusing on international adoption and family homelessness. Most recently, Campbell has served as a social-emotional learning coordinator for an at-risk school district. As a social-emotional learning coordinator, she developed and ran programming for the students, their families, and the staff post-COVID.
Campbell has been involved in local, regional, and national service activities, including service activities with the NBCC, ACES, and NARACES. Campbell has co-authored a chapter on using Digital Storytelling in support of the CIT process of becoming a social justice advocate.
Dr. Cheyenne Carter
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Cheyenne Carter is a licensed clinical mental health counselor in North Carolina. She completed her PhD in Counseling at the University of North Texas and her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Tarleton State University. As a generalist, she has worked with ages 3-98 but currently focuses her clinical work with those ages 18+. Her areas of expertise include relationships, infidelity recovery, attachment trauma and life transitions. She is a frequent presenter on topics related to trauma-informed care and attachment. Additional areas of interest include military wellness/families and animal-assisted therapy.
Dr. Paula Cox
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Paula Cox received an MEd in Counseling, EdS in School Counseling and PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Mississippi. She is a licensed professional counselor and supervisor, a national certified counselor and a national certified school counselor.
She began her career as a group therapist in a partial hospitalization program for children and adolescents and as a court-appointed counselor for at-risk teens. She has extensive experience as a school counselor and psychometrist, specializing in behavior and special populations. She also worked as a clinical counselor for a school district conducting functional behavior assessments and writing behavior intervention plans for special needs students. In that same position, she provided counseling services to students at the local juvenile detention center.
She has also operated a private practice since 2007, where she provides LPC supervision, couples counseling, child/adolescent services and counseling for families navigating addictions. She began her work as a counselor educator in 2010 and continues to be passionate about helping students reach their goals.
Dr. Damion Cummins
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Damion Cummins has an MEd in Counseling from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a PhD in Counselor Education from the University of New Orleans. Cummins is a licensed professional counselor-supervisor, licensed marriage and family therapist and a national certified counselor.
Cummins has over 14 years of clinical experience with nonprofit, university, outpatient, substance abuse, inpatient and private practice clinics. Cummins has extensive experience treating children, the chronic mentally ill, families, couples, sexually abused, veterans and individuals with addiction, anger issues, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. He has over 10 years of supervisory and leadership experience.
Cummins has more than seven years of experience in teaching, and he has designed and taught a variety of online, hybrid and face-to-face courses at the master's and doctoral levels. As a clinical director, Cummins successfully led the development and implementation of training sites and ongoing coordination of graduate student internships. He keeps active in advising students, research, participating on dissertation committees, presenting on numerous state, regional and national clinical topics, and he has a strong emphasis on service to the university and surrounding community.
Learn more about Cummins in this faculty Q&A.
Dr. Tiffany Darby
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Tiffany Darby is a licensed professional clinical counselor with supervisor designation and a licensed school counselor.
Throughout her over 20 years of mental health work, Darby has worked in a variety of settings, including partial-hospitalization, residential, college counseling, outpatient, school and community based. She has worked mostly with diverse youth who display behavior concerns and their families. Darby has an online private practice where she provides counseling services to adults and couples. She implements cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and solution-focused therapy (SFT) practices when working with clients and emotion-focused therapy (EFT) with couples.
She has been working as a counselor educator since 2014 at both the master’s and doctoral levels. She has also served in an administrative role as a director of doctoral field experiences. Her research interests include culturally responsive counseling and supervision practices, as well as telehealth.
Darby earned a PhD in Counseling and Human Development Services, an MEd in Community Counseling and a BA in Psychology, all from Kent State University.
Dr. Ryan Day
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Ryan Day comes to Southern New Hampshire University with over 13 years of clinical counseling experience working in a variety of settings. He is a licensed professional counselor (LPC), certified school counselor and a certified clinical trauma professional, Level-II (CCTP-II). His clinical work specializes in trauma treatment, couples and families, and career counseling services.
Day was selected as the 2016 Counselor Educator of the Year by the Licensed Professional Counselor Association of Georgia and as the 2016-2017 College of Education and Helping Professions Distinguished Teacher of the Year at Columbus State University. Prior to teaching graduate school, he served as a middle school special education teacher.
He made a guest appearance conducting a live counseling session on the VH1 reality show "K. Michelle: My Life." He was also in the March 2019 Counseling Today special edition on “Touched by Trauma,” which featured his personal story as a trauma survivor and professional work as a trauma therapist.
Day earned his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Auburn University, an MA in Community Counseling from Argosy University Atlanta and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Columbus State University.
Dr. Christian J. Dean
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Christian J. Dean received an MEd in Human Services Counseling and a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of New Orleans. He is licensed as a professional counselor/board approved supervisor (LPC-S) and as a marriage and family therapist/board approved supervisor candidate (LMFT-SC) in Louisiana. He also holds the national certified counselor credential.
Dr. Dean’s clinical practice experience involves working with individuals, couples and families. He is a 21+ year member of the Army National Guard and currently serves as Deputy Commander-Administration for the Louisiana Medical Detachment. He is also a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. Dean is on the editorial board of the Journal of Military and Government Counseling and the Therapeutic Speakeasy Quarterly.
Dr. Dean participated as a collaborative investigator for the DSM-5 Field Trials in Routine Clinical Practice Settings. He has published and presented on numerous topics including military systems and culture, infidelity-related trauma and grieving, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, ethical considerations and ethical decision-making, differential diagnosis and assessment, the use of metaphors in counseling and counselor education, couples counseling and behavioral modification.
Dr. Darleen Dempster
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Darleen Dempster is a licensed professional counselor supervisor and a national certified counselor who has been providing clinical services since 2000. She received her master’s degree from Mississippi State University and her PhD with honors from the University of Mississippi. Along with her work on multiple college campuses, Dempster has worked in a state agency, nonprofit organizations, residential facilities/group homes and the public school system.
She has served in various roles within the field, including counselor, play therapist, associate director and interim director, substance abuse prevention coordinator and sexual assault coordinator. She also has extensive experience in supervising both counselors-in-training in their practicum and internship experiences, as well as counselors working toward licensure.
Dempster has been continually teaching university courses since 2005. She has served on thesis and dissertation committees and has advised final research projects.
Dempster is a generalist who utilizes an integrated and client-directed approach that incorporates evidence-based treatment for a wide variety of conditions, with particular emphasis on crisis counseling, post-traumatic stress, family of origin issues and LGBTQIA+ support and advocacy. She is deeply committed to her students, and seeks to encourage and empower them to reach their highest potential.
Dr. Abby Dougherty
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Abby Dougherty joined Southern New Hampshire University from Drexel University, where she oversaw the counseling curriculum for the creative art therapies department. She’s also worked as a college counselor and taught at several colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area.
Dougherty has a small private supervision practice, supporting counselors in training toward receiving their Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) certification. She conducted her doctoral research exploring the lived experiences of counselor educators with mindfulness practice in the classroom with culturally diverse students.
She is the past president for the Greater Philadelphia Pennsylvania Counseling Association and current Emerging Leader chair for ACES emerging leaders. Her interests include examining the use of creative arts in college counseling and counseling supervision, virtual reality (VR) and immersive technologies in counseling and counselor education, simulation education, relational-cultural theory, and mindfulness and contemplative tools in counselor education.
Dougherty received her doctorate in counselor education and supervision and her master’s in mental health counseling, both from Walden University.
Dr. Mark P. Eades
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Mark P. Eades is a licensed mental health counselor supervisor (LMHCS) in North Carolina.
Prior to joining SNHU in 2021, Eades worked in two university counseling centers, as both an internship coordinator and as a group therapy coordinator, for 10 years.
As a clinician, Eades has a special interest in working with anxiety disorders, men’s issues, grief and loss, and personality disorders. His research interests include best practices in university counseling centers, men’s issues, assessment of counselors-in-training and the use of technology in counseling, supervision and teaching.
In addition to working as a clinician, Eades has been teaching and supervising counselors-in-training since 2011. He has worked as an adjunct professor as several online universities, primarily providing clinical supervision to counselors-in-training. Currently, he operates a small private practice that focuses primarily on providing supervision to associate level counselor, both in person and online.
Eades earned his PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Prior to that, he received his master’s degree from Wake Forest University and his bachelor’s from North Carolina State University.
Dr. Brenda J. Edwards
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Brenda J. Edwards received an MA in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University and an EdD in Counselor Education & Supervision from Argosy University-Atlanta. She is a licensed professional counselor, a national certified counselor, a certified professional counselor supervisor, a master addictions counselor and a national certified addiction counselor.
Her clinical experience includes treating adolescents, adults and couples in community-based and private settings. Her specialty is treating addictions using a harm reduction approach.
Dr. Edwards has been an educator for 7 years, serving as a senior contributing and adjunct faculty member with teaching experience across the counseling curriculum. Her writing and research interests include substance-related issues. She also frequently presents on addictions and other substance-related issues at various professional conferences.
Dr. Matt Glowiak
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Matt Glowiak completed his masters in Mental Health Counseling and PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University. His dissertation examined veteran educators' perceptions of the Internet's impact on K-8 learning and social development. Glowiak is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), Certified Advanced Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor (CAADC), and National Certified Counselor (NCC).
Glowiak served as contributing faculty in the BS of Human Services and Psychology Programs at Walden University and as Assistant Professor of the Masters of Clinical Psychology program at Benedictine University. He has an emerging record of scholarship as outlined through refereed journal publications, magazine and newsletter articles, several book chapters, and multiple presentations.
As an entrepreneur, Glowiak is co-founder of "counseling speaks" in Park Ridge, Deerfield, and Chicago, Illinois--a practice focused on clinical counseling, consultation, coaching, supervision, crisis intervention, and psychoeducational services and products. Clinically, he has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. Glowiak has worked with clients who present a variety of concerns and issues such as substance use disorder, domestic violence, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, sexual trauma, and bipolar disorder.
Learn more about Glowiak in this faculty Q&A.
Dr. Dana A. Griffin
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Dana A. Griffin received an MA in Professional Counseling and an EdD in Counselor Education & Supervision from Argosy University, Atlanta. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor in the state of Georgia. Her 16-year clinical experience includes treating adolescents, adults, couples and families, specializing in severe mental health issues. In her private practice, she strives to assist her clients in realizing their purpose and moving forward towards mental, physical, and spiritual wellness.
Griffin has been an educator for seven years, serving as a faculty member and adjunct instructor. Her research interests include the violence against the LGBTQ community in the Caribbean, the wellness of counselors, effective supervision for post-masters counselors, and the advancement of women of color in academia. Additionally, she volunteers with Give an Hour where she provides free counseling services to veterans and their families.
Dr. Laura Haddock
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Laura Haddock received her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Mississippi. Haddock has been a counselor educator since 2001, supported by more than two decades of work as a clinical mental health counselor. She is a licensed professional counselor-supervisor, national certified counselor and approved clinical supervisor.
An active counseling professional, Haddock has served on the Mississippi Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners and the executive boards for Mississippi Counseling Association and Mississippi Licensed Professional Counselors Association. She serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Counseling Research and Practice, The Journal of Social, Behavioral and Health Sciences, The Journal of At Risk Issues and the Tennessee Counseling Association Journal. Her clinical practice includes work with a variety of populations, with a particular focus on women's issues. The recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Professional Service Award for Counselor Educator by the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, she routinely presents and publishes counseling research. Her interests include counselor wellness, sexuality, cultural diversity, supervision, and professional gatekeeping.
Dr. Tamara Harris
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Tamara Harris is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) who has been in private practice for over 15 years. She also worked as a high school counselor for seven years.
Harris is a mental performance consultant in a career field recognized through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP): She specializes in helping athletes overcome mental health issues and mental blocks that prevent them from reaching their full potential and optimal performance. Through mental performance training, she also assists business individuals, exercise enthusiasts and non-sport performers in reaching and maintaining optimal performance as they strive to meet their unique goals for overall success.
In addition to AASP, Harris is an active member of the American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association’s Division 47: Society for Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology. She serves as mentor and academic advisor for students who would like to pursue a career in the fields of sport and exercise psychology and/or mental health counseling.
Her research interests include exercise psychology, positive psychology, health and wellness challenges in women of color, compassion fatigue, self-compassion and self-care among counselors in training, intimate partner violence and youth homelessness.
Harris earned her PhD in Counselor Education from Sam Houston State University and her MA in Counseling from Prairie View A&M University.
Dr. Mary Hinson
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Mary Hinson has 15 years of individual, group and family counseling experience, working with populations from early adolescence through adulthood, in a variety of therapeutic settings. She also specializes in couples work, training extensively in emotionally focused therapy and as a facilitator for the Prepare/Enrich program. Her credentials include Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor, National Certified Counselor, Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Approved Clinical Supervisor and Certified Custody Mediator.
With certification in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University, Hinson consults with organizations and groups on ways to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. She has created trainings tailored to the needs of clinicians and communities of color.
Her research focuses on social justice advocacy work among practicing counselors. She has also published in the Counselor Education and Supervision Journal and presented at several conferences nationally.
As an agent of change in her own community, Hinson started the nonprofit organization Pickens Peace Project to improve the relationships of youth involved with the legal system and their caregivers using an attachment framework.
Hinson earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from The College of William & Mary, and an MA in Counseling, a BS in Criminal Justice and a BA in Psychology from North Carolina Central University.
Dr. Eleni Maria Honderich
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Eleni Maria Honderich, PhD, NCC, MAC, LCPC, received her master’s degree in community counseling and doctoral degree in counselor education and supervision from the College of William and Mary in 2006 and 2014, respectively. With over 15 years of clinical practice, primarily in the addictions sector, and 7 years of experience within the academic sector, Honderich remains vested in and impassioned by ethical practice and aspirational conceptualization/implication of subsequent codes, prioritization of client care and rights, delivery of quality education and supervision adherent to national standards (e.g., CACREP), and best practice approaches – all of which assist in grounding a professional clinical mental health counseling identity.
Dr. Kimberly Jenkins-Richardson
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Kimberly Jenkins-Richardson is a licensed professional counselor-supervisor in the state of Alabama and is a National Certified Counselor.
Jenkins-Richardson has nearly two decades of clinical experience working in community mental health centers, university counseling centers and substance abuse agencies. She operates a group private practice, where she works with young adults, couples and families. Her research areas include pedagogical practices in counselor education programs, mental health disparities in minority populations, minority student mental health in higher education, and racism and race-related stress.
Jenkins-Richardson has taught and supervised students in both clinical mental health counseling master’s programs and counselor education and supervision doctoral programs. Additionally, she provides clinical supervision for individuals seeking licensure in the state.
She received her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision and an educational specialist degree in counselor education from the University of Alabama, an MS in Community and Agency Counseling from Jacksonville State University, and a BA in Psychology from the University of Alabama.
Dr. Robyn Lowery
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Robyn Lowery has over 15 years of experience teaching in counselor education programs – mostly in distance learning instruction.
She is the owner of Mecklenburg Wellness, a small private practice in Charlotte, NC, providing reproductive, pregnancy and postpartum counseling services. She serves as an advisory council member for a nonprofit organization that provides nutrition and breastfeeding education. Lowery also serves as an inaugural member of the justice, equity, inclusion and diversity committee for a local public elementary school.
Lowery’s current research interests include disrespect and abuse within maternal healthcare settings, racial disparities within maternal health, and complementary and alternative practices in counseling.
She received a PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an MA in Rehabilitation Counseling from The George Washington University. She is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional.
Dr. Anne Metz
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Anne Metz completed her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and PhD in counselor education and supervision at James Madison University in Virginia. She is a licensed professional counselor and registered supervisor in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
During her residency, Metz worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She is a state-certified evaluator for the civil commitment process. She also served as the mental health liaison for the Staunton-Augusta Therapeutic Docket, a post-plea program designed to divert individuals with behavioral health issues from incarceration into community-based treatment.
Her research focuses on the intersection of mental health and the law with an emphasis on criminal justice reform. Prior to joining the SNHU faculty, Metz completed postdoctoral work at the University of Virginia School of Law, where her interdisciplinary empirical research examined sentencing practices for nonviolent drug offenders. Her advocacy interests include climate change, public policy, and the decriminalization of behavioral health issues.
Dr. Rhonda Neswald
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Rhonda Neswald received an MA in Student Personnel Services: Counseling from Northwestern State University and a PhD in Counseling from the University of New Mexico. She is a licensed professional clinical counselor in the state of New Mexico and an approved clinical supervisor (ACS) through the NBCC. Her clinical experience includes treating a broad range of mental health concerns with a special interest in expressive arts in counseling and supervision.
Neswald has been an educator for 18 years, serving as a faculty member, program coordinator and clinical director. She has taught counseling courses throughout the master’s and doctoral level counseling curriculum. She presents and publishes nationally and internationally. Her work focuses on expressive arts in counseling and supervision as well as the employment of expressive modalities in the treatment of post-traumatic stress and vicarious trauma.
Dr. David Olges
Clinical Faculty
Dr. David Olges is a licensed Mental Health Counselor in Indiana. His clinical work includes specializations in couples counseling, disordered eating, teens, Division 1 athletes and international counseling.
He has been a counselor educator since 2012, serving as a faculty member at the master’s and doctoral levels. His research interests include international counselor education, addiction recovery in the prison system, multiple sclerosis treatment and faith integration with counseling.
He has been involved with counseling in Ukraine since 2000 and has spoken at universities, on the national radio and before the Verkovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament). In addition to his work in Ukraine, Olges has spoken at the University of Oxford, England, the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Shevchenko University in Ukraine.
Olges created “Mental Health First Aid in a Conflict Zone” during the war in Ukraine and presented it in Warsaw, Poland, to international first responders and online to health care providers in Ukraine. It is for this work that he received the American Counseling Association’s 2023 Kitty Cole Human Rights Award.
Olges holds an undergraduate degree in pre-law (philosophy) from Indiana University, a master's degree in counseling from Grace College, an MBA from Anderson University and a PhD in Counseling Education and Supervision from Regent University.
Dr. Caroline Perjessy
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Caroline Perjessy obtained an MSEd in Community Counseling and Higher Education Student Affairs from Youngstown State University and a PhD in Counseling and Human Development Services from Kent State University, a CACREP-Accredited program, in Kent, Ohio. She is a licensed mental health counselor in the states of Georgia and Florida, is a Qualified Supervisor in Florida and has been a licensed clinician for 15 years.
As a counselor, Perjessy has expertise in working with adults, adolescents, college students and couples, using humanistic, postmodern approaches to therapy. Additionally, she is also trained in dialectical behavior therapy and conducts DBT groups with adolescents and adults. Thus, her clinical interest areas relate to trauma, career counseling, group work and women’s issues.
Perjessy has been teaching at the graduate level for over 15 years in master’s and doctoral programs. She has been a doctoral program coordinator, director of field placement, and has held a variety of administrative roles during her career. Her scholarly areas of interest include narrative/postmodern approaches to pedagogy and supervision, doctoral education, online education.
Currently, she is serving as past president for the Florida Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (FACES) and is actively involved with the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES) as the Women’s Interest Network co-chair and is the awards co-chair for the Association of Humanistic Counseling.
Dr. Latoya Pierce
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Latoya Pierce is a licensed professional counselor in Louisiana.She works primarily with adolescents and adults, and her areas of focus include wellness, racial trauma and gender issues.
Pierce has seventeen years of experience in higher education, both as a faculty member and administrator. She has served as a program director, department chair, interim dean, dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and chief diversity officer. Pierce’s notable social justice work has included serving as a committee member for the YWCA of Northwest Louisiana Racial Justice Committee, a member of the President’s Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at St. Bonaventure University, as well as a member of the A-10 Athletic Conference Commission on Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.Additionally, Pierce has served as a Subject Matter Expert in diversity for the State of Louisiana.
Pierce served as a member of an institutional IRB for seven years, many of which she served as the sole expediter for all social science research proposals. Pierce is actively serving on five local boards in the community focused on advocacy, the arts, and community engagement, and continues to see clients in private practice.
She earned a PhD in Counselor Education from the University of New Orleans and a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Loyola University-New Orleans.
Dr. Torey Portrie-Bethke
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Torey Portrie-Bethke earned her masters and PhD in Counseling Education from Idaho State University. A National Certified Counselor, she is dedicated and enthusiastic in her role as a counselor educator and as a mental health and family counselor working toward empowering students and clients in the direction of positive growth and development.
She provides clinical supervision for master’s practicum and internship students. In her strength-based supervision role, she works to enhance students’ self-efficacy through creating a bridge between counselor development and emerging counseling skills/techniques/theory. She promotes students’ professional identity and advocates for the profession by utilizing networking techniques such as student inclusion in presentations and professional publications. Portrie-Bethke is a frequent presenter in the areas of Adventure Based Counseling, abuse/trauma, play therapy, counseling supervision, and group counseling.
Portrie-Bethke’s research interests include Adventure-based counseling; group counseling; counseling supervision; online counselor education; childhood trauma; vicarious trauma; mothering development.
Dr. Rebecca Sheffield
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Rebecca Sheffield earned her MEd in Couples and Family Therapy and a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the College of William and Mary. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Virginia. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), a Board Certified Telemental Health Provider (BC-TMH), and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional.
She has a passion for teaching and training counselors. She received the 2020 Training and Mentorship award from the International Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. For several years, she directed a nonprofit counseling center that provided counseling at no cost to underserved individuals and families which was staffed by student counselors in training.
She has developed clinical expertise working with individuals, couples, and families in a range of settings including community/state agencies, schools, and private practice. Her research interests include culturally informed and responsive counseling for diverse populations and family structures, including families in which children are placed in kinship care. She is also interested in researching culture and belonging within remote academic and group environments.
Ami Cleary-Trombly
Field Experience Administrator
Ami Cleary-Trombly has over 10 years of experience working and supporting students. She joined Southern New Hampshire University in 2014 as a graduate business academic advisor. In 2018, she joined the MA Counseling academic advising team.
In September 2021, she became a part of the MA Counseling field experience team. In this role, she supports the field experience students, faculty and director of counseling programs and professional practice.
Cleary-Trombly received a BA in History with a minor in Africana Studies from SUNY Potsdam and an MA in Education from Southern New Hampshire University.
Meg Straughn
Assistant Director of Counseling Programs, Operations & Residencies
In April 2022, Meg Straughn joined the counseling academics team and is responsible for the planning and successful implementation of the counseling program’s in-person residencies, as well as collaborating on strategic plan initiatives and program growth strategies.
She joined Southern New Hampshire University as an academic advisor in November 2017. In October 2019, she began working with the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling academic advising team, supporting counseling students through their academic experience.
Prior to joining SNHU, Straughn worked at a technology company in Boston selling software, supporting clients, managing internal company projects and planning company events.
She earned a BA in Communication with a minor in Business Administration from the University of New Hampshire.