Counseling Leadership and Faculty
Dr. Eric Jett
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. Shanice Armstrong
Program Director
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
Program Director
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. David Olges
Program Director
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. 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. S Anandavalli
Clinical Faculty
Dr. S Anandavalli is an award-winning, nationally recognized trauma-informed mental health counselor and counselor educator. She serves as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Oregon. She is the owner and founder of Soulfulness Counseling, LLC, a private practice dedicated to serving women who have been exposed to early childhood trauma.
An expert on minority women’s mental health needs, Anandavalli has served as a consultant and speaker for several nonprofits and agencies. She’s also the associate editor for The Professional Counselor, an open-access peer-reviewed counseling journal dedicated to advancing knowledge in the counseling field. As a counselor educator, Anandavalli maintains a special commitment to experiential education when training graduate students in counseling. She has expertise in counseling skills, assessment in counseling, and trauma and crisis counseling. Her areas of research interest include international student mental health and AAPI mental health.
Anandavalli holds a PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Pittsburg State University.
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. Gwendolyn Gail Bell
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Gwendolyn Gail Bell has 30 years of experience in higher education teaching and counseling. She is a licensed professional counselor and a certified professional counselor supervisor in Georgia. She is passionate about teaching in higher education and has extensive experience teaching counseling, clinical mental health and psychology courses.
In addition to her academic responsibilities, Bell's research interests focus on career development, interpersonal relationships and the socialization of children. She earned a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Clark Atlanta University and an MA in Counseling Psychology from Atlanta University. She is actively involved in professional organizations and participates in civic activities within her church and community.
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. Adriana Bovee
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Adriana Bovee received a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University and a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Walden University. She is a bilingual licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) in the state of Florida. She holds the following credentials: Board-Qualified Supervisor (QS) and Board Certified Telemental Health (BC-TMH). She has a passion for working with underserved and marginalized populations, particularly with individuals who have been diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI), and immigrants and refugees who have experienced trauma. She also specializes in mood, anxiety, and behavioral disorders with the adolescent and adult population.
Bovee has held administrative positions, including over seven years working as a hospital administrator advocating and providing crisis services to those with acute mental health and substance use disorders. She is currently president-elect for the Florida Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (FACES).
Her research interests include SPMI, resilience, leadership, and workplace trauma. She is an active member of counseling organizations including the American Counseling Association (ACA), Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), Florida Counseling Association (FCA), and Florida Mental Health Counselors Association (FMHCA).
Dr. Roseina Britton
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Roseina Britton is an Illinois Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). She has conducted research and published work in textbooks, international peer-reviewed journals and regional peer-reviewed journals on topics related to sexual health, sex positivity, and HIV awareness and stigma.
Britton enjoys teaching about mental health counseling, working in adult substance use clinics and counseling individuals and groups in inpatient and outpatient settings. In her private practice, she has experience working with adolescents and adults.
Britton earned a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Iowa. She earned a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Carolina A&T.
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. Mary Dainty
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Mary Dainty is a licensed professional counselor and board approved supervisor in Texas. She operates a private practice dedicated to first responders and trauma-related problems using EMDR. Additionally, Dainty serves as a behavioral health speaker for the Baylor Scott & White All Saints campus.
Dainty received a double master's degree in marriage and family counseling and Christian education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Grand Canyon University. Her research interests are counseling supervision and spirituality.
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. Brittany C. Dent
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Dent is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Louisiana and Texas with 14 years of clinical experience in mental health and trauma. Dent has a small private practice, which has served Baton Rouge and surrounding areas for 10 years, providing individual counseling, family counseling and supervision to provisional licensed counselors. Her clinical experience also includes work in the intensive outpatient setting for mental health and substance abuse, psychiatric inpatient setting for adults and children, partial hospitalization program for adults, as well home and community-based services for adults and children.
She is a two-time alum of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA where she earned a BA in General Studies and a MA in Counseling and Student Personnel Services. She earned a PhD in counselor education and supervision from the University of Holy Cross in New Orleans, LA. Her research focus is centered around Black millennials addressing generational trauma, as well as ethics in supervision.
Dent is a professional member of Louisiana Counselors Association (LCA), National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), American Counselors Association (ACA), Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES). She is also a participating faculty member with Dr. Ted Remley, Jr. and the International Counselor's Institute in Dublin, Ireland.
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. 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. Lynne Hale
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Lynne Hale brings 27 years of teaching and counseling experience. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision from the University of North Texas, an MA in Community Counseling from Stephen F. Austin University, and a BS in Rehabilitation Studies from the University of North Texas.
Hale is a licensed professional counselor supervisor (LPC-S) in the state of Texas with clinical experience in college, school, telehealth and crisis counseling. Interestingly, she started out in the field of sport psychology working with teams, coaches, and individual athletes.
She enjoys teaching a variety of counseling courses and is passionate to help educate the next generation of professional counselors. In addition, she actively engages in professional service work and volunteer activities within her church and community.
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. 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. Racquel Johnson
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Racquel Johnson is a seasoned clinician with 13 years of experience in community mental health. She holds a Master’s Human Development and Counseling and a Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Lindsey Wilson College. She is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor-Supervisor (LPCC-S) in the state of Kentucky and a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC).
Johnson’s passion lies in working with children, adolescents, transitional-age youth, and their families. She has been teaching at the graduate level at SNHU since 2021. Beyond clinical practice, she is dedicated to preventing clinician burnout and promoting trauma-informed leadership.
Dr. Sola Kippers
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Sola Kippers is a licensed professional counselor/board-approved supervisor, licensed marriage and family therapist and board-approved telehealth provider in Louisiana. Kippers has 10 years of counseling experience with adult clients who present with symptoms of anxiety, depression, grief/loss, life transitions and substance use disorders. She has been a counselor educator since 2002 and began teaching online in 2007, serving as a faculty member at the master’s level. In addition to teaching, Kippers has served as a practicum course lead and director of field training for a master’s in counseling psychology program in Canada.
She holds an MEd in Mental Health Counseling and a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of New Orleans. She has given over thirty presentations at national, regional and state counseling conferences on topics related to clinical supervision, private practice management and boundary issues in counseling. Her research interest is in clinical supervision and substance abuse counseling.
Dr. Natasha LaMarr
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Natasha LaMarr is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Clinical Supervisor, Certified EMDR therapist, and Christian Sex Therapist. She received an MA and an EdD in Counseling Education and Supervision from Argosy University.
She has continually taught on the collegiate level since 2013 in the Psychology and Counseling Department.
Her clinical experience includes treating adults, couples, and families in community-based and private practice. Her specialty is workshops to educate and empower women and couples who have experienced various forms of trauma such as abuse, abandonment and betrayal.
LaMarr's research interests are The Dissolution of Marriage in the African American Community, Effective Communication, Conflict Resolution, The Effects of Journaling, and Integrating Spirituality into Counseling.
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. Harmony McGuire
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Harmony McGuire is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Clinical Supervisor in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) with the National Board for Certified Counselors.
McGuire’s areas of clinical interest include trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder, stress management, anxiety, grief and loss, depression and women’s issues. In her private practice, she specializes in working with women and uses an integrative approach, combining evidenced-based therapies – such as cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy and feminist therapy – with holistic practices, such as mindfulness and clinical hypnotherapy.
McGuire earned a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of the Cumberlands and an MA in Professional Counseling from Liberty University.
Dr. Amie Manis
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Amie Manis is a licensed professional counselor in the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) and Board Certified Telemental Health Provider (BC-TMH). She has practiced as an online counselor educator and supervisor since 2010.
Manis has experience in community mental health, college counseling and private practice. Her scholarship interests include online counselor education, telemental healthcare, training counselors and counselor educators for culturally alert practice and social justice advocacy, and leveraging technology in practice and assessment.
Manis is a past editor of The Professional Counselor and current ad hoc reviewer for Counselor Education & Supervision. She has served on local, state and national boards, including the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Virginia Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (VACES). She is a site visitor for the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Manis earned a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Virginia and an MA in Community Counseling from Virginia Tech.
Dr. Clayton Martin
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Clayton Martin has extensive experience as a counselor and supervisor in community mental health, substance abuse treatment facilities, college counseling and private practice. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a National Certified Counselor and a Certified Professional Counseling Supervisor in Georgia.
Martin has presented at multiple annual conferences of the American Counseling Association and has published articles across a range of refereed journals. His research interests include postmodern approaches to counselor practice and supervision, workplace aggression in the counseling profession, creative approaches to counseling and alternative conceptualizations of psychopathology for the counseling profession. Prior to pursuing his MS degree, he enjoyed a 10-year career as an actor and playwright in Atlanta.
Martin earned a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the College of William & Mary and an MS in mental health counseling and marriage and family counseling from Barry University.
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. Megan Numbers
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Megan Numbers is a licensed clinical mental health counselor and qualified supervisor in North Carolina. She is also a registered play therapist supervisor. Numbers’ clinical experience includes working in the school setting, on military installations and at inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities for sexual offenders. She specializes in working with military children and families and with children experiencing separation and divorce.
Numbers received her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Adams State University in 2021 and her MA in Counseling from Regis University in 2011. Her research and writing interests include spirituality in counseling, the power of the therapeutic relationship, attachment challenges for military children and child-centered play therapy.
Numbers has co-authored peer-reviewed journal articles, presented at national, regional and state conferences and is currently serving on the board of the North Carolina Association for Play Therapy as the treasurer.
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. Charlotte Phillips
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Charlotte Phillips began her academic journey at Salisbury University, studying psychology and working as part of a social psychology research team. She then advanced to her graduate studies, completing a master’s degree in cellular and molecular neuroscience, with the goal of understanding human cognition and behavior through a biological scope. Her doctorate was earned from Neumann University in Counselor Education and Supervision, where she acquired meaningful clinical experience working at what was then Father Martin’s Ashley. Her research and publications are currently devoted to culturally competent practice in higher education as well as substance use disorders.
Coming to the supervision table as a Humanistic Existential practitioner, she grounds her professional identity in advocacy efforts for both her students, supervisees, mentees and colleagues. She holds licensure in Pennsylvania and Virginia as well as national certification. As a practicing Franciscan Catholic, she is inspired by the intersect of faith, mysticism, and neuroscience, and holds a loving, nonjudgemental, and accepting space for individuals from all walks of life.
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. Jennifer Reynolds
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Jennifer Reynolds joined Southern New Hampshire University in 2024 and is a licensed professional counselor supervisor in Alabama, Delaware and Georgia.
Having practiced clinically for 15 years, Reynolds has experience in acute care, residential settings and private practice. She helps people of all ages navigate challenges like anxiety, depression, life transitions and more.
Reynolds earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Walden University, MS and EdS in Community Agency Counseling from Jacksonville State University, and BS in Psychology and Sociology from Athens State University.
Dr. Shauna Moore Reynolds
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Shauna Moore Reynolds joined Southern New Hampshire University in 2024. She’s a licensed professional counselor supervisor in Maryland, licensed professional counselor in Washington, D.C., National Certified Counselor and an approved clinical supervisor.
Reynolds has served as department chair, associate professor, director of clinical training and adjunct professor at institutions like the Chicago School, Johns Hopkins University and Loyola University of Maryland. Her ongoing research focuses on anxiety, depression, crisis, trauma, post-traumatic stress, sexual assault and domestic violence.
Reynolds has been honored by the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia and the Offices of the United States Attorneys. She won the Maryland Counseling Association’s Outstanding Mental Health Professional Award in 2018 and Texas Southern University’s Outstanding Educator Award in 2020. She’s also a Chi Sigma Iota member, a Mental Health First Aid facilitator and a Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Volunteer.
Reynolds earned her EdD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Texas Southern University, as well as her MEd in Behavioral Sciences and BS in Social Sciences from the University of Houston.
Dr. Brian K. Shaffer
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Brian K. Shaffer joined Southern New Hampshire University in 2024 and is a licensed professional counselor, certified alcohol, drug and addiction counselor, clinical chaplain, thanatologist and an approved clinical supervisor.
For over 25 years, Shaffer has worked in spiritual care, grief, trauma and mental health in both private and community settings. He leads workshops on bereavement, mental health and addiction, in addition to supervising counseling students and residents.
Shaffer dedicates his free time to supporting the homeless and disadvantaged. He also assists faith communities in creating and implementing mental and behavioral health social action programs.
Shaffer earned his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision and MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Capella University.
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.
Dr. Jennifer B. Smirnoff
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Jennifer Smirnoff is currently a licensed counselor in the states of Ohio and Michigan. She is a National Certified Counselor and approved counselor supervisor.
Smirnoff earned a master’s degree in Community Counseling from Eastern Michigan University in 1998. At The University of Toledo, she earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision in 2002 and an MBA in 2016.
She has served as faculty at The University of Toledo and Western Michigan University. She has participated in research on the topics of stepfamilies, PTSD, and substance abuse. Smirnoff has worked as a clinical counselor in academia, mental health agencies, and private practice for over 25 years. She has expertise in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as behavior modification and parenting. She works with both children and adults specializing in anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, mood disorders and ADHD.
Dr. Ashlea Smith
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Ashlea Smith received her doctorate in Counselor Education and Clinical Supervision with concentrations in Play Therapy, Neurofeedback, Relational Cultural Theory and Social Justice, and Rehabilitation Counselor at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas in 2008. Additionally, she received her Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Arizona at Tucson in 2005.
Smith is a licensed professional counselor (e.g., LPC) in the state of Arizona where she is also a Certified EMDR Therapist and a Registered Play Therapy Clinical Supervisor. Her clinical and research interests include: play therapy, sandtray therapy, trauma, eating disorders, and the use of EMDR.
Smith is also active in professional organizations as the past President Elect of the Arizona Association for Play Therapy (AZAPT), Executive board member for AZAPT, AZAPT Membership Chair, and an Editor for the Association for Play Therapy, "Play Therapy Magazine".
Dr. Reyna Smith
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Reyna Smith joined Southern New Hampshire University in 2024 and is a licensed professional clinical counselor in Ohio, nationally certified counselor and an approved clinical supervisor.
Smith is an experienced clinician and educator with a background in community mental health, private practice and teaching master’s-level counseling students. Her research focuses on multicultural competence in counseling and supervision, destigmatizing mental health in marginalized and underserved communities, and beyond.
In 2021, Smith became a Doctoral Fellow for the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program, which aims to increase diverse, culturally competent counselors serving disadvantaged populations.
Smith earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of the Cumberlands, MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Xavier University and BA in Psychology from Miami University.
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.
Dr. Bréanné Thomas
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Bréanné (“Bré”) Thomas is licensed as an LPC-S and a vocational nurse in Texas and an LPC in Connecticut. She served six years as a mental health technician in the Air Force.
In her private practice, Find Your Unique Normal, Thomas serves sexual and gender minorities, racially marginalized groups and veterans in central Texas. With a recent move back to her hometown of Chicago, Thomas intends to expand her private practice to Illinois, specializing in student and intern development. Her research interests include transgender veteran mental healthcare, minority counselor educator experiences and the intersectionality of minority counselor educators cultivating and teaching multicultural courses.
Thomas earned a PhD in counselor education and supervision and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Walden University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a certificate in multicultural studies from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a professional nursing certificate from the Chicago Public Schools program.
Dr. Veronica Wanzer
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Veronica Wanzer joined Southern New Hampshire University in 2024 and is a counselor and approved clinical supervisor in Maryland.
She’s acted as a counselor educator for years, teaching master’s-level counseling programs across the country.
In 2021, Wanzer published her first peer-reviewed article on gender diversity in the Journal of LGBTQ Issues in Counseling. She presents at counseling and interdisciplinary conferences annually and is actively involved in innovative research, reform projects and publication efforts focused on counseling and social change at an international level.
Wanzer earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Walden University, MA in Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University and BS in Psychology from Howard 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.