As a member of the Counseling faculty in the Clinical Coordinator role, I bring with me a broad base of experiential work. I have served the field of mental health as professor, clinician, clinical director, supervisor and program coordinator. I arrived at CU Denver from Kentucky, where I served as an Assistant Professor at Lindsey Wilson College for three years. At Lindsey Wilson College, I taught full-time in a CACREP-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and served as a Resident Faculty Supervisor and Clinical Director of a college and community counseling clinic. This experience has provided me with a good base to assume my role here at CU Denver. I am thrilled to be a part of this quality CACREP-accredited program and am honored to work side by side with exceptional faculty members and students. Furthermore, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to serve as a clinical supervisor in our on-campus clinic and faculty liaison with internship sites in the greater Denver Community and beyond.

My journey to CU Denver started with earning my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Clemson University, then my Master’s of Science degree in Sport Psychology/Exercise Physiology from Springfield College, and finally my PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision with emphases in Marriage & Family Therapy and Community Counseling from the University of Nevada, Reno.

As far back as I can remember, I had always wanted to work in the mental health field. During my undergraduate education, I had the privilege to play women’s soccer at Clemson University. Go Tigers! Throughout my athletic career, I interacted with several Sport Psychologists, whereby igniting a fire inside of me to bring together my two passions; psychology and sport. Once I received my MS degree in Sport Psychology, I realized Counseling was the field for me, given the focus on wellness and hands-on work with clients. It was during my doctoral studies when I realized a third passion: teaching. I probably should have come to this realization earlier, given my love for sport and coaching; however, it really struck me when I was asked to teach my first graduate level course.

The classroom is where I feel the most comfortable. There is perhaps nothing more fulfilling in my role as a counselor educator than seeing the proverbial light bulb turn on within a student who has been excited and captivated by the knowledge that s/he has received. My courses generally combine an in-depth theoretical analysis and understanding with counselor skill development and supervision. My commitment to the field of counseling goes beyond the classroom and is supported through my involvement with several state, national and international counseling organizations.

I believe that outstanding teachers have a certain charisma about them that distinguishes them from ordinary teachers. To a certain extent, I believe those exceptional professors are "performers," that the classroom is the stage and the students are the experiential audience. I believe that the passion that I have is evident in the energy and enthusiasm that I bring to my work. Learning should be FUN!