CHARLOTTE, NC... ACA has confirmed Judy Shepard and C. Adolfo Bermeo as the Keynote Speakers at the 2009 ACA Annual Conference & Exposition in Charlotte, NC, March 19-23.
Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard who was brutally attacked on October 8, 1998 due to a hate crime, will speak on Sunday, March 22 at 9 a.m. Three days after he was attacked, Matthew died from his injuries. In May of 1999, Judy Shepard testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. ACA President, Dr. Colleen Logan said “it is a poignant opportunity for all of us to learn from one mother how she rose up from the grief of losing her son to a tragic hate crime by committing her life to social justice and human rights.” Ms. Shepard will deliver a powerful message about what professional counselors can do to help make our communities and schools safer for everyone, regardless of their race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation.
C. Adolfo Bermeo, PhD, is a Senior Scholar for The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. Dr. Bermeo works with both state and national organizations committed to increasing access to higher education for historically underrepresented first-generation and low-income students. In the K-12 arena, he worked closely with the Los Angeles Achievement Council to provide counselors and other school officials with strategies for achieving a climate conducive to success. Dr. Bermeo will speak Saturday, March 21 at 9 a.m.
Now in its 56th year, the ACA Conference & Exposition remains the single largest, most comprehensive educational and networking event in the world dedicated to counseling professionals from many different specialties and work settings. The Conference will draw more than 3,000 professional counselors and will offer over 500 education sessions as well as the largest Expo dedicated to counseling. The conference will take place at the Charlotte Convention Center, located at 501 South College St., Charlotte, NC 28202.
The American Counseling Association (www.counseling.org) is a not-for-profit professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. Founded in 1952, ACA is the world's largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings.