Group of workers discussing division, branches, and regions

Better Together

We support member engagement through connection to ACA branches, divisions and regions. We encourage members to learn more about these groups that focus on geographical or topic-based connections. 

Divisions

ACA's 19 chartered divisions provide leadership, resources and information unique to specialized areas and/or principles of counseling. Divisions are chartered by elected division officers who govern their activities independently and carry a voice in national ACA governance. Learn more about our divisions and enhance your professional identity and practice by joining one or more.

Association for Adult Development and Aging (AADA)
Chartered in 1986, AADA serves as a focal point for information sharing, professional development, and advocacy related to adult development and aging issues; addresses counseling concerns across the lifespan.

  •  2023-2024 President: Matthew L. Nice
  •  2023-2024: President-Elect: Janelle Jones 
  •  2023-2024 Past President: Adrianne Trogden

Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling (AARC)
Originally the Association for Measurement and Evaluation in Guidance, AARC was chartered in 1965. The vision of AARC is to recognize and advance excellence in assessment and research in the counseling profession.

  •  2023-2024 President: Stephanie Crockett
  •  2023-2024 President-Elect: Ching-Chen Chen
  •  2023-2024 Past President: Madeline Clark

Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC)
Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling aims to focus on the training needs of counselors who work with children and adolescents, while also providing professional support to those counselors, whether they are school counselors, play therapists, or counselor educators.

  •  2023-2024 President: Sean J. Nixon
  •  2023-2024 President-Elect: Hayley Stulmaker
  •  2023-2024 Past President: Rachel Jacoby

Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC)
The Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC) is a forum for counselors, counselor educators, creative arts therapists and counselors in training to explore unique and diverse approaches to counseling. ACC's goal is to promote greater awareness, advocacy, and understanding of diverse and creative approaches to counseling.

  • 2022-2024 President: LoriAnn Stretch
  • 2022-2024 President-Elect: Patricia L. Kimball 
  • 2022-2024 Past President: Edward Hudspeth

American College Counseling Association (ACCA)
ACCA is one of the newest divisions of the American Counseling Association. Chartered in 1991, the focus of ACCA is to foster student development in colleges, universities, and community colleges.

  •  2023-2024 President: Rudy Wayne Strother
  •  2023-2024 President-Elect:  Amy Broadwater
  •  2023-2024 Past President: Rebecca Smith

Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES)
Originally the National Association of Guidance and Counselor Trainers, ACES was a founding association of ACA in 1952. ACES emphasizes the need for quality education and supervision of counselors for all work settings.

  •  2023-2024 President: Margaret Ryan Lamar
  •  2023-2024 President-Elect: Cassandra Storlie
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Natoya Haskins |  Executive Director: Kelly Duncan   

Association for Humanistic Counseling (AHC)
AHC, formerly C-AHEAD, a founding association of ACA in 1952, provides a forum for the exchange of information about humanistically-oriented counseling practices and promotes changes that reflect the growing body of knowledge about humanistic principles applied to human development and potential.

  •  2023-2024 President: Kevin Doyle
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Caroline Perjessy
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Alfredo Palacios

Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD)
Originally the Association of Non-White Concerns in Personnel and Guidance, AMCD was chartered in 1972. AMCD strives to improve cultural, ethnic and racial empathy and understanding by programs to advance and sustain personal growth.

  •  2023-2024 President: Asha Dickerson
  •  2023-2024 President-Elect: Ann Shillingford
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Angela Coker

American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA)
ARCA is an organization of rehabilitation counseling practitioners, educators, and students who are concerned with enhancing the development of people with disabilities throughout their life span and in promoting excellence in the rehabilitation counseling profession's practice, research, consultation, and professional development.

  • 2023-2024 President: Daniel Balva
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Paige Dunlap
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Valerie Dixon

Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC)
Originally the National Catholic Guidance Conference, ASERVIC was chartered in 1974. ASERVIC is devoted to professionals who believe that spiritual, ethical, religious, and other human values are essential to the full development of the person and to the discipline of counseling.

  • 2023-2024 President: Hannah Barnhill Bayne
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Janee Avent Harris
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Jesse Fox

Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW)
Chartered in 1973, ASGW provides professional leadership in the field of group work, establishes standards for professional training, and supports research and the dissemination of knowledge.

  • 2023-2024 President: Julia Champe
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Kendra Jackson
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Kathy Ybanz-Llorente

Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ)
CSJ is a community of counselors, counselor educators, graduate students, and school and community leaders who seek equity and an end to oppression and injustice affecting clients, students, counselors, families, communities, schools, workplaces, governments, and other social and institutional systems.

  • 2023-2024 President: Shon D. Smith
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Chiquita Holmes
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Ebony White

International Association for Resilience and Trauma Counseling (IARTC)
The mission of IARTC is to enhance the quality of life for people and communities worldwide by promoting the development of professional counselors, advancing ACA, the counseling profession, and the ethical practice of counseling through trauma-informed practices, respect for human dignity, cultural inclusivity, and resilience.

  • 2023-2024 President: Lisa Lopez Levers
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Matthew Walsh
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Peggy Mayfield

International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC)
Originally the Public Offender Counselor Association, IAAOC was chartered in 1972. Members of IAAOC advocate the development of effective counseling and rehabilitation programs for people with substance abuse problems, other addictions, and adult and/or juvenile public offenders.

  • 2023-2024 President: Rochelle Cade
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Dilani Perera
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Melanie Iarussi

International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC)
Chartered in 1989, IAMFC members help develop healthy family systems through prevention, education, and therapy.

  • 2022-2024 President: Martina S. Moore
  • 2022-2024 President-Elect: TBD
  • 2022-2024 Past President: Rebecca Lynn Pender Baum |  Executive Director: 

Military and Government Counseling Association (MGCA) formerly ACEG
Initially known as the Military Educators and Counselors Association, MGCA was chartered in 1984. MGCA is dedicated to counseling clients and their families in local, state, and federal government or in military-related agencies.

  • 2023-2024 President: Edward Hudspeth
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Elizabeth Burgin
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Danette Berksteiner

National Career Development Association (NCDA)
Originally the National Vocational Guidance Association, NCDA was one of the founding associations of ACA in 1952. NCDA provides professional development, connection, publications, standards, and advocacy to career development professionals who inspire and empower individuals to achieve their career and life goals.

  • 2023-2024 President:  Carolyn Jones
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect:  Marty Apodaca
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Lakeisha Matthews |    Executive Director: Deneen Pennington
         *NCDA term of office is October 1 - September 30

National Employment Counseling Association (NECA)
NECA was chartered in 1966 as the National Employment Counselors Association. NECA is committed to offering professional leadership to people who counsel in employment and/or career development settings.

  • 2023-2024 President: Joseph F. Parks, Sr. 
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: TBD
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Melanie Drake Wallace
         Executive Director of Strategic Leadership, Professional Development, and e-News: Kay Brawley

Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE)
Formerly Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC)
Educates counselors to the unique needs of client identity development; and a non-threatening counseling environment by aiding in the reduction of stereotypical thinking and homoprejudice.

  • 2023-2024 President: Robert McKinney
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Stacy Pinto
  • 2023-2024 Past President: Tamekia Bell

ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATES

Association of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness (ACSSW)
The mission of ACSSW is to promote sexuality as a central aspect of being human that includes the intersection of interpersonal and intrapersonal influences on sexual expression and identities inclusive of age, race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender and gender expression, physical and mental health and abilities, and socioeconomic status.

  • 2023-2024 President: Shannon Shoemaker
  • 2023-2024 President-Elect: Laurie Bonjo
  • 2023-2024  Past President: Francis McClain

 

Regions

The North Atlantic, Midwest, Southern, and Western ACA regions provide leadership guidance and support to branches (state counseling associations) following our Strategic Plan. Region support can include advocacy, professional development, membership retention and recruitment, and other areas essential to the growth of professional counselors and ACA.

The Midwest Region of the American Counseling Association (ACA) represents professional counselors who live and practice in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. ACA members who reside in any of these are part of the ACA Midwest Region.

2023-2024 LEADERSHIP

Midwest Region Chair
Amy Mooney

Midwest Region Chair-Elect | Secretary
Jeremy Eberle

Midwest Region Past Chair | Treasurer
Michele Kerulis (appointed)

The North Atlantic of the American Counseling Association (ACA) represents professional counselors who live and practice in the following states, territories, and jurisdictions: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Europe. ACA members who reside in any of these are part of the ACA North Atlantic Region.

2023-2024 LEADERSHIP

North Atlantic Region Chair
Maria del Carmen Rodriguez

North Atlantic Region Chair-Elect 
Anthony Zazzarino

North Atlantic Region Past Chair

Claudette Brown-Smythe

North Atlantic Region Treasurer
Raymond Blanchard

North Atlantic Region Secretary
Leslie Smith

The Southern Region of the American Counseling Association (ACA) represents professional counselors who live and practice in the following states and jurisdictions: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Latin America. ACA members who reside in any of these are part of the ACA Southern Region.

2023-2024 LEADERSHIP

Southern Region Chair
Rebecca Pender Baum

Southern Region Chair-Elect
Perry Blair

Southern Region Past Chair
John Nance 

Southern Region Treasurer
Kerri Legette McCullough

The Western Region of the American Counseling Association (ACA) represents professional counselors who live and practice in the following states and jurisdictions: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington State, Wyoming, and the Philippines. ACA members who reside in any of these are part of the ACA Western Region.

2023-2024 LEADERSHIP

Western Region Chair
Gregg Elliott

Western Region Chair-Elect | Treasurer
Rachel Ratliff

Western Region Past Chair | Secretary
Amanda DeDiego

Branches

Learn more about our 56 chartered branches in the U.S., Europe and Latin America and locate a contact person for the branch near you.