Annual General Meeting
WHEN: April 12, 2024 9:00 am - 11:00 pm
WMHCA's board meetings are always open to our members and we appreciate member engagement. At our April 12th meeting we will announce our new board members. |
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Please register at the link below if you would like to attend. |
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Last chance to vote in board elections!
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Voting closes April 10th, 2024. Below are the nominees. You can click on the pdf after their name to view their complete application. The link to vote is at the end of this email. |
President
Candidate
Jennifer Kennett PhD Candidate, ACS, LMHC, President.pdf Current WMHCA Board Member & Legislative Committee Co-Chair
Describe what contributions you have made to the WMHCA board during your current term or describe how do you imagine yourself contributing to the work of the board? I have been involved with WMHCA since the fall of 2022. I initially served as a Policy and Professional Advocacy Committee member for a doctoral internship. I supported the committee in documenting the results of the Workforce Barriers meetings. In addition, I testified in support of the Counseling Compact during the 2022/23 Legislative session. I was asked to be the vice-chair of the PPA Committee for the 2023/24 year. I have also served as the Chair of the Supervision Task Force. We wrote a set of recommendations for minimum supervision standards and submitted them to the DOH for consideration. I have also served on the Insurance and Finance Task Forces and recently stepped into chairing the Bylaws Review Task Force. |
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President Elect
Candidate
Carolyn Russo PhD, LMHC,President Elect.pdf Current WMHCA Board Member & Education Committee Chair
Describe what contributions you have made to the WMHCA board during your current term or describe how do you imagine yourself contributing to the work of the board?
I am a current board member with WMHCA and the Education committee chair. I have supported the organization by actively participating in board meetings and all board activities to continue to move forward the progress made within the counseling field. As the Education committee chair I have supported continuing education applications by reviewing and approving for both the lunch and learn series as well as workshops hosted by WMHCA. I have also contributed to helping the committee in fine tuning the process and evaluation of workshops submitted to WMHCA. As the President-Elect, I would see myself advocating for the mission of WMHCA through quality services, professional identity and maintaining ethical boundaries within the profession. As a board member my role would reflect the values of WMHCA in a legal, compliant and ethical manner. My hope would be to contribute in the strength of the WMHCA board by supporting membership growth and the visibility of the organization. I feel strongly in providing quality continuing education to strengthen member's clinical practice as well as being an advocate for the counseling profession with the Counseling Compact. In serving on the board, it would be my hope to continue to advocate in both these areas as well as start to advocate more around equitable reimbursement rates with insurances and push more for the access to quality care for insurance holders. I would also like to participate and take an active role in helping WMHCA in becoming an antiracist organization to work towards diversity, equity and inclusion. |
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Treasurer
Candidate
Meg Curtin Rey-Bear MA, LMHC, NCC, Treasurer.pdf Current WMHCA Board Member and Insurance Tackforce Chair
Describe what contributions you have made to the WMHCA board during your current term or describe how do you imagine yourself contributing to the work of the board? I am currently chairing the Insurance Taskforce, which is in the process of completing an Insurance Scorecard Survey to assess practitioner satisfaction with Insurance benefits providers. Data from this survey will be used to create Report Cards for Insurance Companies that will go on the WMHCA's website and help inform credentialing choices made by new and current mental healthcare practitioners. Data from the survey is also expected to be useful for future mental healthcare legislation. |
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Graduate Student Representative (1 open position)
Candidate
Ellie Lovde graduate student, clinical counseling intern Grad Student Representative Ellie.pdf
How does your work and passion align with WMHCA's mission and values? As a queer and neurodivergent individual, my own experiences shape my actions and advocacy efforts. I am aware of the power and privilege that I hold as a white individual, informed by my childhood and young adulthood in south Louisiana; my family is mixed and my cultural inheritance has been deeply impacted by the racist, ableist oppressive actions by those in power. From a young age, it was instilled in me by my family to stand up for others, to remain curious, and to lead with kindness. |
Candidate
Robert Ullerich Masters Student at Antioch University studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Art Therapy Grad Student Rep Robert .pdf
How does your work and passion align with WMHCA's mission and values? Growing up in a world where my neurodivergent tendencies were often misunderstood, I developed a deep passion for helping others who have faced similar challenges. I was fortunate to be exposed to a variety of faiths, cultures, and beliefs, which taught me the importance of unity and support within a community. Whether it's lending a hand to a colleague in need or reaching out to a neighbor, I believe that coming together is key. The solutions are out there, but we can only access them by embracing the uniqueness of each individual. Life's diversity is what makes it beautiful. |
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General Board Members (5 open positions)
Candidates |
Robyn Hansen LMHCA -LMHC (submitted/pending approval), Current WMHCA Board Member & Membership Committee Chair Board Member Robyn.pdf
Describe what contributions you have made to the WMHCA board during your current term or describe how do you imagine yourself contributing to the work of the board? I have contributed to successfully spearheading initiatives to increase membership engagement and retention with the other membership committee members. Through targeted outreach efforts and innovative strategies, I have contributed to expanding the association's reach and cultivated a supportive community for mental health professionals across Washington. My leadership has played a role in ensuring that counselors feel connected, supported, and empowered within the association. My dedication to the Washington Mental Health Counselors Association's mission and goals is evident in my proactive approach to problem-solving, commitment to fostering collaboration among board members, and unwavering advocacy for the mental health profession. Over the past three years, my contributions have been instrumental in advancing the association's mission of promoting excellence in mental health counseling and advocating for the well-being of counselors and the communities they serve. |
Cristina Louk PhD, LMHC, Current WMHCA Board Member Board Member Cristina.pdf
Describe what contributions you have made to the WMHCA board during your current term or describe how do you imagine yourself contributing to the work of the board? As I seek re-election, I reflect on my tenure on the board, where I've dedicated my efforts to serving on the Education Committee. Although my time on the board has been relatively short, I'm eager for the opportunity to extend my term, believing that it will enable me to make a significantly greater contribution. With a full board term ahead, I aspire to delve deeper into issues, collaborate more extensively with colleagues, and further amplify my impact in serving the community. |
Dennis McCarthy MA LMHC Board Member Dennis.pdf
How does your work and passion align with WMHCA's mission and values?
I like the scope and scale that the WHMCA has targeted with the new mission. One of the things that I think is powerful about counseling as a profession is that we have the opportunity to contribute towards systemic change on multiple levels. I also think there are so many ways that the current landscape makes it harder to connect clients with counselors and it’s so easy for counselors to get burned out by navigating anxiety triggers and the power of third parties like insurance companies. |
Katie Schmitz Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, Currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision Board Member Katie.pdf
How does your work and passion align with WMHCA's mission and values? I've nearly completed my doctorate which embeds education, supervision, leadership, research and advocacy in the program. My particular training has involved integrating antiracist teaching pedagogy, and supervisory roles in my place of employment. I work to make my teaching practices accessible to diverse student body and prioritize diverse literature, case studies and voices in classes. I'm hoping getting more involved in WMHCA will help me develop future in legislative and organization leadership/advocacy which I hope to embed in my teaching. |
Sivie Suckerman LMHC, ACS Board Member Sivie.pdf
How does your work and passion align with WMHCA's mission and values? I work at a practice that is grounded in anti-oppression and anti-racist ideals. I am a strong ally for marginalized communities and am passionate about having diverse voices at the table for collaboration. |
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