ACSSW LEADERSHIP
Executive Council
President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary, and the Treasurer
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PRESIDENT
Shannon Shoemaker, LCPC, LMHC, NCC
Dr. Shannon Shoemaker is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) and a board approved supervisor, in Maryland and an LMHC Massachusetts. She is also a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC).
Dr. Shoemaker earned her BS in Psychology and M.Ed. in Counselor Education at Bridgewater State College. She earned a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from The Pennsylvania State University. She has over ten years of clinical experience in school systems, community counseling services, and working with adults, adolescents, and families.
She is currently assistant professor at Hood College in the Psychology and Counseling Department. Dr. Shoemaker has presented at local, national, and international counseling conferences. She utilizes intersectionality, intercultural studies, and post-modern theories in her research, which focuses on minority groups, specifically the LGBTQ community and the Southeast Asian Indian population.
Dr. Shoemaker is a member of the American Counseling Association and numerous divisions including ALGBTIC, ACC, ACES, SAIGE, as well as ACSSW.
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PRESIDENT-ELECT
Laurie Bonjo, PhD, NCC, PSC
Dr. Laurie Bonjo earned a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia in 2013 after completing a Master's in Counseling at Penn State University. She is currently an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in Counselor Education and Supervision at Southern Connecticut State University. Dr. Bonjo believes that sexual health and sexual wellness goals are critical components of holistic counseling treatment. She is interested in qualitative and mixed methods studies, action research in educational settings, advocacy research with LGBTQQIA+ individuals and groups, particularly that which focuses on the intersection of sexual and gender identity with other cultural identities, social justice action research with underserved, underrepresented individuals and groups at risk for marginalization and disenfranchisement, feminist theory, queer theory, crip theory, critical race theory, decolonization and liberation practices, and identity development applications in school counseling.
As president-elect of ACSSW, Dr. Bonjo plans to advocate that CACREP support the inclusion of sexology curriculum in counseling programs. She will continue the ongoing work for ACSSW to be recognized as a division within ACA and engage with leaders of other divisions to increase opportunities for partnerships and collaboration. Perhaps most importantly, she hopes to reinforce the inclusive culture of ACSSW so that the membership grows and increases representation and visibility of marginalized identities in ACSSW’s education, research, and advocacy.
TREASURER
Kameela George, BS
Clinical Mental Health Counseling/University of North Florida
Secretary
Sheldon Aaron, LCPC, NCC
Doctoral Candidate/University of Central Florida
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Sheldon Aaron is a doctoral candidate with the University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL. Sheldon is also a new faculty member at William James College in Newton, MA. Sheldon graduated from Eastern Illinois University with his master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Sheldon is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois, a National Certified Counselor, and holds Level-1Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. In his clinical work, Sheldon specializes in working with LGBTGEQIAP+ adolescents and adults, and individuals presenting with depression, anxiety, suicide ideation, relational difficulties, and general adjustment related symptoms. Sheldon’s research interests include counseling instructor and student development, advancement of cultural humility and sensitivity when working with students and clients of color and who identify as LGBTGEQIAP+ and the advancement of professional standards of care with these populations. Sheldon is an active member of ACA, ACES, AMCD, SAIGE, and CSJ. Additionally, Sheldon is an emerging leader with SAIGE, and is one of the graduate editorial assistants for JMCD.
PAST PRESIDENT
Co-Founder, ACSSW
Editor, ACSSW Newsletter
Frances McClain, PhD, LCPC, NCC
Dr. Frances McClain ("Dr. Mac") is a licensed clinical professional counselor. Since 2010, she has been the Director of Clinical Training in the Counseling Psychology Department and has been an adjunct instructor with The Chicago School since 2008. She was the Program Director of Clinical Services at a community mental health center on the North Shore, for 10 years prior to joining the academia. Throughout her career she has worked in a number of different capacities that includes clinical work, supervision, grant writing, program development and implementation, case management, psychosocial rehabilitation, community liaison work with both private and state psychiatric hospitals, and consultation with mental health centers around program development and accreditation preparation. Her career journey has taken her from the far South suburbs of Chicago, to Chicago, and Chicago’s North Shore. Dr. Mac has presented at the local, state, and national level on topics related to cultural sensitivity, professional ethics and values conflicts, and human sexuality, especially as it relates to the LGBTQ+ community. She is a co-founder of the Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness (ACSSW), an Organizational Affiliate of the American Counseling Association. Dr. Mac is also on the editorial board of the Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education (ISSN: 2577-1299) and is the editor of the quarterly ACSSW newsletter. In 2021, she has coordinated the webinars, that are done in partnership between ACSSW and TCSPP. She maintains a limited private practice where she provides pro bono psychotherapy services, as well as providing training and consultation for community agencies, area hospitals, Cook County probation, and Cook County Judges office staff. Her areas of interest in research include social justice, anti-racism, and counseling sexology.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ACSSW Board of Directors include members of the
Executive Council, Representatives, and Trustees
Kameela graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Central Florida and is graduating from the University of North Florida’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in August 2023. She has been focused on sexual health and wellness, pursuing a Mental Health Sexology Certificate, and doing research in the field to expand awareness of how religious trauma can impact sexual decision making in the LGBTQIA+ population. Additionally, Kameela was a member of ACSSW’s BIPOC Task Force and contributed to finding gaps in the extant literature to better inform creating educational/training competencies for mental health professionals to work effectively with BIPOC’s unique expression of their sexuality and address sexual health and wellness needs in this community. As a person of color herself, advocacy and social justice is an integral part of her counselor identity, and she continuously seeks opportunities to make sure BIPOC voices are heard. Kameela is a former President of UNF’s chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, an international honor society for academic and professional excellence in counseling. Upon graduation, she will be working towards her sex therapy certification at the Jacksonville Center for Sexual Health. She is looking forward to providing services in the community and gaining more experience working with individuals with unique and diverse sexualities and sexual issues.
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GOVERNING COUNCIL
BOARD REPRESENTATIVE
Co-Founder, ACSSW
Chair, Education & Training Committee
Angela M. Schubert, PhD, LPC, NCC, BC-TMH
Dr. Angela “Angie” Schubert is an associate professor and director of MSCC online learning for the Clinical Counseling department at Central Methodist University. Dr. Schubert’s area of research and clinical interests are in human sexuality and sexual development across the lifespan. Human sexuality is expansive and intersectional, and as such, Dr. Schubert is interested in exploring the human sexual experience as it pertains to perceptions of sexuality, gender, sexual behaviors, sexual constructs, and policies that work to support or oppress specific sexual-identified communities. Dr. Schubert’s teaching experience and expertise include the following topics: human sexuality, sexual issues, counselor identity, supervision, eating disorders, somatic processing, ethics, and diversity. Dr. Schubert is the co-founder and first president of the Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness (www.counselingsexology.com). She is currently under supervision to become an AASECT-certified sex therapist. She is on the editorial board for the Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness (https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/jcssw/). Dr. Schubert is also an avid podcaster and co-host the following podcast Let’s Get Uncomfortable https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/letsgetu
ACSSW GRADUATE
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
Kyoko Robertson, BS
Clinical Mental Health Counseling/Antioch University
Kyoko is a graduate of Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. She is pursuing a Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree from Antioch University and is expected to graduate in 2024. Though most of her experience is in physical healthcare, her work as a Clinical Team Lead at Planned Parenthood helped to stoke her interest in the intersection of sexuality and counseling. Her aim is to become a certified sex therapist following graduation. She is focused on addressing pleasure disparities on communities that are excluded from sexuality and sexual expression such as: sex workers, people living with disabilities, drug users, survivors of sexual assault and violence, LGBTQIA+ communities, and BIPOC communities (with an emphasis on Black women). She is nothing if not ambitious. It is her goal to work with clients from these populations to engage with sexuality and sexual expression in ways that are empowering and tangible for them. Kyoko is a proud and honored member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
ACSSW CLINICAL REPRESENTATIVE
Cheryl D Walker, MA, NCC, APC
Ms. Walker is an associate professional counselor and a candidate to become a certified sex therapist. She received her B.S. in marketing from Hampton University in 2000 and is currently pursuing her M.S. in clinical mental health and counseling at Argosy University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Over the past 15 years, she has been an active volunteer for several non-profit organizations as well as local school communities.
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Cheryl strongly believes that sexuality is a crucial component of mental wellness and the absence of an authentic and educated exploration of sexual values and sexual behaviors creates a degradation of the human spirit.
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She is currently a sex therapist with GlobeCoRe Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia. She also conducts sex positive pyschoeducational groups to women throughout the city.
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Trustees
TRUSTEE
Marty Jencius, PhD
Marty Jencius earned his Ph. D. in Counselor Education from the University of South Carolina. His sixteen years of clinical experience included working in addictions, with at-risk youth and schools, in management consultation, and at a family counseling agency. He has been a counselor educator for 25 years. He has over 120 publications in books, chapters, journal articles, and others, along with 100 podcasts related to counseling, counselor education, and faculty life. He has done seminal work in technology, introducing listservs (CESNET-L), websites, online journals, podcasts, and virtual reality to the counseling field. He has had the opportunity to teach counseling and make 20+ trips to Turkey and The Bahamas, Malaysia, Scotland, and Singapore. He is the past president of the North Central Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NCACES), the national ACES association, and a past representative to the American Counseling Association Governing Council. He is on the International Association for Resilience and Trauma Counseling board and remains active in ACES and ASGW. He will be ACA Treasurer from 2023-2024 and was inducted in 2023 as an ACA Fellow.
TRUSTEE
Patricia Arredondo, EdD
Patricia Arredondo, EdD, has dedicated her career to addressing multicultural competencies in counseling and psychology training, research, and practice. She brings cultural worldviews into all areas of clinical practice in order to ground or contextualize the clinical applications. She has authored books, book chapters, journal articles, and training videos on culture-centered counseling, working with Latinx families, immigrant identity development, and women’s leadership.
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Dr. Arredondo is a past president of ACA and AMCD, founding member of CSJ, and currently an Elder on the JMCD board of reviewers. She is a servant leader.
TRUSTEE
James Wadley, PhD
Dr. James Wadley is Professor and Chair of the Counseling and Human Services department at Lincoln University. As a scholar-practitioner, he is a licensed professional counselor and maintains a private practice in the States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
He is the founding editor of the scholarly, interdisciplinary journal, the Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships (University of Nebraska Press). He is also the founder and Principal of the Association of Black Sexologists and Clinicians and his professional background in human sexuality education, educational leadership, and program development has enabled him to galvanize scholars and practitioners in the field of sexology across the world.
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His research and publication interests include sexual decision making among young adults, masculinity development and conceptions of fatherhood by non-custodial fathers, and HIV/AIDS prevention. He has written undergraduate and graduate courses and authored twenty-two courses for the Master of Science in Counseling program for Lincoln University (PA). In addition, he recently co-authored thirteen doctoral level courses for the Theological Seminary of Puerto Rico. In 2015, Dr. Wadley earned his NBCC-International Mental Health Facilitator certification after spending time with Rwandan therapists discussing the impact of genocide and trauma in the early 1990’s. In 2016, he helped developed curricula and conducted a sexuality education course at the University of Muhimbili in Tanzania for the nursing and midwifery program. Later that year, he developed and taught an applied research methods course at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2017, Dr. Wadley’s work and advocacy domestically and abroad enabled him to complete his first documentary, Raw to Reel: Race, Drugs, and Sex in Trenton, New Jersey, which captures some of the challenges that emerge in addiction and recovery. Finally, in 2018, Dr. Wadley co-edited The Art of Sex Therapy Supervision (Routledge) which is a book devoted to the clinical experiences of supervisors and supervisees in the field of sex therapy. The book won AASECT’s 2019 Book of the Year Award. His new book, The Handbook of Sexuality Leadership: Inspiring Community Engagement, Social Empowerment, and Transformational Influence (Routledge) carves a new path for sexuality educators, counselors, and therapists in that it serves as an invitation for re-conceptualizing the consultative roles that sexuality professionals engage in.