Victoria is an LPCC currently working in Westlake, Ohio in private practice. She primarily works with kids and teens, but enjoys her work with grown-ups and the opportunities they present to sit on the furniture instead of the floor. She has a passion for Person Centered work, Feminist Counseling Theory and Therapeutic Play. She received her Master of the Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Akron. She currently serves as the President for the North Central Ohio Counseling Association, as well as Co-Chair of The Ohio Counseling Association’s Media, Public Relations and Membership Committee. Victoria also serves on the Podcast Subcommittee and is a writer, producer, editor and host of Ohio Counseling Conversations, the official podcast of OCA. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her golden retriever, Matilda, enjoying storytelling in all forms and indulging in her iPad Kid tendencies. Victoria is overjoyed to be leading NCOCA, and looks forward to creating opportunities for community, continued education and advocacy for members of OCA in the North Central Ohio Region!

Katherine Vanke, M.Ed., LPCC-s (OH), LPCP (IL), is a counselor based in Cleveland, OH, with five years of experience. She is deeply committed to serving a diverse range of identities, with a particular focus on college-aged individuals, LGBTQIA2S+ and AFAB clients, and those living with chronic illnesses. 

Clinically, Katherine integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and a Feminist Narrative framework, and she is a trained EMDR therapist. She strives to make the therapeutic process affirmative, culturally responsive, and deeply collaborative.

She often incorporates somatic techniques into her practice, including mindfulness, body scans, and yoga, to support holistic healing. Katherine also enjoys engaging in professional roles beyond the counseling space, including presenting at various conferences and teaching future counselors as an adjunct professor.

As President-Elect of the North Central Counseling Association, Katherine looks forward to bringing this same collaborative, inclusive, and whole-person approach to the association through supporting counselors across the region with the same care and intention she brings to her clinical work!

Lauren Collins-Knight is a Licensed Professional Clinical 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.

Bio Coming Soon

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.

Bio Coming Soon

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.

Shannon O’Mara is currently a counslor trainee at the University of Akron. She is interning at Child Guidance & Family Solutions as part of the ICT/IHBT team. Shannon serves various roles in OCA in addition to her role as Student Liaison of NCOCA, including as President-Elect of ACACO, Secretary of OARTC, Graduate Student Committe Co-Chair, and OCA Podcast Subcommittee Member. She also serves as ACAC Professional Development Co-Chair and an OAESV Survivory Empowerment & Advocacy Council Member. In her spare time, Shannon enjoys listening to music, attending concerts, building Legos, and coloring!

Ameena is a Licensed Professional Counselor who earned her Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Cleveland State University, and is currently working toward her Play Therapy certificate, under RPT supervision. Ameena is bilingual in English and Spanish, and holds pride in her multi-ethnic and multi-racial identity. Her areas of expertise include multi-racial and multi-cultural identity exploration, nervous system regulation and integrative somatic facilitation, depression, ADHD management, anxiety, stress and life transitions, familial issues, and boundaries and communication. Ameena has several years of experience as an educator working with diverse students and families, as well as experience working with adults teaching yoga, mindfulness, and breathwork. Her past experiences have helped her form an integrative approach to therapy. Ameena enjoys practicing yoga, going on runs with her dog, and spending time cooking with her partner. She loves to travel, spend time outdoors with family and friends, and laugh.

Bio Coming Soon

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.

Bio Coming Soon

Bio Coming Soon