Lauren Collins-Knight is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Navigate Counseling and Consultation Services. She received her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at The University of Akron. There she completed an Independent Study on Affirmative Counseling with LGBTQ+ individuals, which helped inspire her interest in taking advocacy beyond the counseling office. She proudly serves as the President for the North Central Ohio Counseling Association (NCOCA) and is an inaugural member of OCA’s Ambassador Program. Her clinical focus includes young adults, neurodiversity, and LGBTQ+ clients, with an emphasis on identity exploration and affirmation. She primarily utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in her work with clients to promote psychological flexibility in response to difficult thoughts and feelings. Her professional and clinical practice is informed by the undergraduate “diversity track” psychology courses she took that introduced her to feminist theory and later feminist therapy and techniques.

My biggest goal when someone steps into my life is to make sure that they feel empowered to be themselves to the fullest with me. I hope to bring that same goal to my work with the Ohio Counseling Association. I am currently the president-elect of our NCOCA Chapter and I look forward to engaging with everyone and creating lasting relationships and learning opportunities for our membership. One of my favorite things about our field is working creatively to find solutions that have previously felt unmanageable. In addition to my work with NCOCA, I am a co-chair of the Media, Public Relations and Membership Committee and serve as a writer, producer and host of Ohio Counseling Conversations, the official podcast of OCA. In my free time, I love hanging out with my dog Matilda. I am definitely more of a homebody, my couch is my dearest friend. I love watching movies, reading (mostly sci-fi and fantasy) and being a bit of an iPad kid because I always need music or a show in the background. I hope we can work together soon!

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Judy loves “working with people and potential.” As an alumna of John Carroll herself, she has a history of assisting alumni, locally and long distance, with career and life planning issues, including developing effective job search strategies and self-marketing tools as well as interview preparation. Additionally, she has advised current undergraduate and graduate students on the career development process. Judy taught career education courses each semester, presented to student organizations and classes as well as coordinated the logistics for many different events the Career Center sponsors throughout the academic year.

Judy became a member of the Career Center staff in 1989 upon completing her master’s degree in community counseling at JCU. She is a retired Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Ohio, a National Certified Counselor, a Global Career Development Facilitator, and a member of the Ohio Counseling Association, NCDA, ODCA, and NACE. Currently she serves on the board of NCOCA. In 2012, Judy received the Christopher Faiver Award for Outstanding Contributions to the North Central Ohio Counseling Association and Community. Her prior work experience is in the areas of health care administration and career consultation for trailing spouses. Judy’s passion away from the office is volunteering as a Redcoat with Playhouse Square and traveling to California to visit her children and grandchildren.

Dr. Fawn Gordon is an Assistant Professor in the Counseling and Art Therapy Department at Ursuline College. As a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in the state of Ohio, she has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in school-based and outpatient settings. She currently serves as faculty liaison for NCOCA, faculty co-advisor of the Chi Alpha Theta Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, and the treasurer of OASERVIC.

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My biggest goal when someone steps into my life is to make sure that they feel empowered to be themselves to the fullest with me. I hope to bring that same goal to my work with the Ohio Counseling Association. I am currently the president-elect of our NCOCA Chapter and I look forward to engaging with everyone and creating lasting relationships and learning opportunities for our membership. One of my favorite things about our field is working creatively to find solutions that have previously felt unmanageable. In addition to my work with NCOCA, I am a co-chair of the Media, Public Relations and Membership Committee and serve as a writer, producer and host of Ohio Counseling Conversations, the official podcast of OCA. In my free time, I love hanging out with my dog Matilda. I am definitely more of a homebody, my couch is my dearest friend. I love watching movies, reading (mostly sci-fi and fantasy) and being a bit of an iPad kid because I always need music or a show in the background. I hope we can work together soon!

Areka D. Foster, PhD, LPCC-S, LPAT, ATR-BC, SEP, has over 25 years of experience as a professional counselor and is a licensed and board-certified art therapist in the state of Ohio. She is the Clinical Director for the Counseling and Art Therapy Program at Ursuline College. She has a small private practice in Maumee, Ohio, specializing in complex trauma, grief, and mood disorders. Areka has advanced training in EMDR, NARM, Crisis Stabilization and Safety Aid®, Instinctual Trauma Response, and Trauma-Focused CBT and has certification in Somatic Experiencing.

My name is Shannon O’Mara, and I am the current Student Liaison for the NCOCA board! I am currently a graduate student pursuing my master’s and licensure in clinical mental health counseling at the University of Akron. I am a certified crisis specialist answering calls for the 988 Lifeline. As a future clinician, I am interested in working with children and adolescents and individuals who have encountered trauma. In this role, I look forward to getting to know my fellow students and clinicians and assessing ways that we can best support counselors-in-training during their academic experiences!

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