Dr. Carly Boren has been a Counselor Educator since 2016, and joined the University of Nevada, Reno in 2023. She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Pennsylvania State University, and a graduate certificate in LGBT Health, Policy, and Practice from George Washington University. Dr. Boren's research and clinical interests include transgender mental health and nature-based counseling practices. She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), and is actively involved in the American Counseling Association (ACA), and Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ).

Dr. Aubrey Uresti is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education in the Lurie College of Education at San José State University. A California credentialed K-12 school counselor and a National Certified School Counselor (NCSC), Dr. Uresti has experience in all levels of K-12 education as a teacher, school counselor, therapist, supervisor, and consultant. She is a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Her research focuses on the individual, family, and extended family-level experiences of adolescents who have a parent in jail or prison, as well as adolescents’ meaning-making processes regarding parental incarceration. Dr. Uresti’s experience working with K-12 students, undergraduates, graduate students, and adult learners also informs her exploration of urban education and school counseling, school-based support, grief and loss, peer victimization, child and adolescent development issues, and lifelong learning for counselors through qualitative interview, image-based research, critical discourse analysis, and ethnography.

Dr. Hurless is an experienced mental health researcher, clinician, and educator. Her research focuses on quantitative and qualitative methods exploring trauma-informed counseling, supervision, and counselor development. Currently, she works as an Assistant Professor of Counseling and holds her private practice in the state of Texas. ResearchGate Profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nicole-Hurless Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2P-P9BYAAAAJ&hl=en

Doctoral Candidate, Educational Leadership Masters in Counseling Brandman University Licensed School Counselor Published author Research agenda includes wellness practices for educators, trauma informed care and restorative justice.

Kristina DePue, Ph.D. is a professor of Counselor Education at the University. DePue's research goals are motivated by her clinical observations within the addictions counseling field, which has resulted in two research areas: (a) chemical and process addictions, specifically concentrating on the role of negative experiences in behavioral change; and (b) counselor development and supervision, focusing on how both counseling trainees and clients change. DePue’s scholarly work related to addictions began as her master’s thesis at Vanderbilt University, which was a qualitative study on the bottoming out experience (BOE) in addiction. She has continued this research by expanding on the notion of BOEs as the culmination of negative experiences during addiction, rather than a one-time event, and how these negative experiences relate to behavioral outcomes. An inclusionary factor of the BOE is the notion of shame, which can be influenced by internalized stigma. Consequently, DePue also examines public stigma and implicit bias in an effort to understand the barriers to treatment for individuals with addiction, specifically focusing on underserved populations (i.e., individuals with criminal justice histories, gender minorities) and Opioid Use Disorder. Lastly, DePue studies the utility of technology based interventions to reduce the harm of substance use in college students. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno, DePue was an assistant professor at the University of Florida, where she also held an Affiliate appointment with UF Psychiatry. DePue is active in the American Counseling Association, serves on multiple editorial review boards, and has held various leadership positions for the International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC). In her spare time, she and her husband love traveling, skiing and live music.

Dr. Lorri Capizzi is an assistant professor in the Department of Counselor Education at San Jose State University. For the last 15 years she has taught both undergraduate and graduate level courses. She serves as the faculty advisor for the CSU Guardian Scholars Program for emancipated foster youth in higher education at San Jose State and advises SJSU administration on program design and curriculum development for this program. Dr. Capizzi has over 10 years of placing and supervising school counselors in their internships/field-work in high need districts and in juvenile court schools for students under court supervision.

Vladyslav Logos is an experienced mental health clinician and researcher who holds two master's degrees from the most prestigious universities in Ukraine. Currently, he is a graduate student in CACREP-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling master's program and an actively contributing Graduate Research Assistant at his department.

SungWon Yoon-Lee (Pronouns: No pronouns) is a Ph.D. student in Counselor Education, The Pennsylvania State University. Based on the lived experiences as a Korean queer counselor since 2015, SundWon's interest of counseling, research, and advocacy have been focused around professional development of international/LGBTQ+ counselors, advocacy education for counselors-in-training, and community-based approaches and strategies to cope with minority stress.

Diaz Dixon is the owner of Performance Driven Consulting, advising nonprofits and mission-driven organizations on strategies to increase sustainability, diversity, and social impact. He leads philanthropic initiatives as a Partner with Wavedance Fund and Serving Our Communities Executive Advisor, directing funding and capacity-building support for programs across Nevada. Dixon blends executive leadership with hands-on program development to align mission, operations, and fundraising for measurable community outcomes, and is known for translating complex social needs into scalable, fundable solutions. Dixon served as Vice President of the CommonSpirit Health Foundation, where he partnered with clinical and program leaders to secure funding and raise awareness for health equity, social justice, and diversity initiatives. He was previously and Associate Athletic Director at UNR and the CEO of Eddy House, leading capital and program campaigns that expanded housing, workforce development, and health services for homeless and at-risk youth. For fourteen years he was CEO of STEP2, directing fundraising and operations to build a multi-million-dollar campus and strengthen services for families affected by addiction and violence. Dixon brings practitioner experience into the classroom as an instructor at the University of Nevada and TMCC. He consults nationally on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and served on the Cultural Competency and Diversity Network under the New Freedom Initiative. His work integrates policy, program design, and community engagement to drive sustainable outcomes. A long-standing community advocate, Dixon has served on the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and on boards including Bishop Manogue, the University of Nevada College of Liberal Arts, Leaf House Financial, and the State Gambling and Addiction Counselors. He currently serves on the Washoe County Animal Advisory Board. His governance roles emphasize strategy, accountability, and equitable access to services. Dixon holds a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Iowa and a bachelor’s degree in social psychology from the University of Nevada. His academic background informs a trauma-informed, outcomes-driven approach to program design, fundraising, and community partnerships.

Dr. Brenda Freeman lives in Reno, Nevada and is a Professor of Counseling and Extension Mental Health Specialist, Emerita at the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Freeman earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of Wyoming and is a licensed mental health provider in two states with a specialty in suicide, grief and loss. She has provided clinical and program evaluation technical assistance to American Indian/Alaska Native communities for over 20 years. For the past five years she has led the Nevada rural and farm stress initiative and has been a key partner in a multistate agriculture stress program, developing counseling curriculum for working with rural populations and publishing studies on stress and coping in agricultural producers and workers in the Western states.

Minnie Li is an assistant professor in the Department of Counselor Education at San José State University. Her research agenda focuses on the use of mind-body approaches in psychotherapy for clients, as well as in the education and supervision of counselors-in-training and supervisors-in-training. She also attends to related multicultural issues, trauma-informed practices, decolonizing considerations, and ethical responsibilities.

Eric T. Beeson, PhD, LPC (he/him) is Professor and Chair of the Counseling Department at Marshall University and a strategic adviser to SimCareAI, where he helps guide the platform’s ethically grounded use of artificial intelligence in mental health professional training. Over nearly two decades, Eric has woven together clinical practice, teaching, and research across residential youth treatment, community mental-health and substance-use programs, collegiate recovery initiatives, private practice, and neurofeedback clinics. His commitment to innovation and service has earned wide recognition. Eric is a recipient of the American Counseling Association’s Gary R. Walz Trailblazer Award and Professional Development Award, and he served as the 43rd President of the American Mental Health Counselors Association. He co-founded the Journal of Mental Health Counseling’s “Neuroscience-Informed Counseling” section, co-edited “The Neuroeducation Toolbox: Practical Translations of Neuroscience in Counseling and Psychotherapy”, and founded the Brainstorm Neuroscience Community, each initiative reflecting his drive to translate neuroscience into practical tools for mental health professionals. When he steps away from the classroom and lab, Eric gravitates outdoors. You might spot him on a tennis court, cheering at a baseball game, hiking West Virginia’s rolling hills, or strategizing over a favorite board game with family and friends. Whether in professional endeavors or personal pursuits, he stays focused on one goal: turning cutting-edge science and technology into sparks that ignite discovery and elevate the mental health and well-being of all people.

Dr. Mariaimeé “Maria” Gonzalez (pronouns: she/her/ella) is currently the co-founder of the Latinx Social Justice Mental Health Institute and serves as the Executive Director, Clinical Operations and Community Outreach at Antioch University Seattle. Previously she served as the Chair of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program and Leadership Chair Committee, a collaborative leadership model, for the PhD in Counseling and supervision program, bringing 16 years of experience as a counselor educator. With an extensive leadership background, she has held prominent positions, including president of the American Counseling Association (ACA) of Washington, president for the Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (WACES) (2023-24), chair of the ACA International Committee (2021-22), ACA Foundation Member (2022-2025), ACA Parliamentarian (2021-2022) and observer (2023-24), and served on the Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision- Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision (JTCES) as a board member (2020-2023). During the Covid epidemic, she served as a United Nations Delegate (2020-2021) advocating for global mental health support. Mariaimeé has co-edited a book on teaching social justice and advocacy competence in counseling, showcasing her commitment to promoting positive change in her field. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and raised in the states within the United States, Mariaimeé is a first-generation Latiné college graduate, cisgender, disabled, heterosexual woman. She is a licensed professor counselor, approved clinical supervisor, and enjoys spending time with her familia and friends, traveling, being outdoors, loves animals, and learning about cultures from around the world.

Zachary McNiece (he/they) is an assistant professor in the Counselor Education department at San José State University. Their research agenda centers on systemic and oppression-based traumas, including intergenerational and race-based trauma; anti-racist counseling; and expressive pedagogy, counseling interventions, and research methods.