ACA Divisions

Within the American Counseling Association there are 19 divisions. These divisions enhance professional identity and are organized around specific interest and practice areas. The divisions provide professional strength and satisfy the diverse needs of the counseling community. 
 

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.
     2022-2023 President: Adrianne Trogden
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Matthew L. Nice 
     2023-2023 Past President: John Nance 

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.
     2022-2023 President: Madeline Clark
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Stephanie Crockett
     2022-2023 Past President: Elizabeth Prosek

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.
     2022-2023 President: Rachel Jacoby
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Sean J. Nixon
     2022-2023 Past President: LeAnn Solmonson

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.
     2022-2023 President: Becca Smith
     2022-2023 President-Elect:  Rudy Wayne Strother 
     2022-2023 Past President: Raime Thibodeaux

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.
     2022-2023 President: Natoya Hill Haskins
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Margaret Ryan Lamar 
     2022-2023 Past President: Casey Barrio Minton
     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.
     2022-2023 President: Alfredo Palacios
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Kevin Doyle 
     2022-2023 Past President: Amanda Evans

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.
     2022-2023 President: Angela Coker
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Asha Dickerson
     2022-2023 Past President: Margarita Martinez

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.
     2022-2023 President: Valerie E.D. Russell 
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Daniel Balva
     2022-2023 Past President: Sonia Peterson

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.
      2022-2023 President: Jesse Fox
      2022-2023 President-Elect: Hannah Barnhill Bayne
      2022-2023 Past President: Daniel Gutierrez

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.
    2022-2023 President: Kathy Ybanz-Llorente
    2022-2023 President-Elect: Julia Champe
    2022-2023 Past President: Lorraine Guth

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.
     2022-2023 President: Ebony White 
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Shon D. Smith
     2022-2023 Past President: Delila Owens

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.
     2022-2023 President: Peggy Mayfield 
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Lisa Lopez Levers 
     2022-2023 Past President: Carol Smith 

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.
    2022-2023 President: Melanie Iarussi
    2022-2023 President-Elect: Rochelle Cade 
    2022-2023 Past President: Angie Cartwright

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.
      2022-2023 President: Dannette Berksteiner 
      2022-2023 President-Elect: Edward Hudspeth 
      2022-2023 Past President: Natasha Barnes

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.
     2022-2023 President:  Lakeisha Matthews
     2022-2023 President-Elect:  
     2022-2023 Past President: Sharon Givens
     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.
     2022-2023 President: Melanie Drake Wallace 
     2022-2023 President-Elect: Joseph F. Parks, Sr.
     2022-2023 Past President: Carolyn Greer
     Executive Director of Strategic Leadership, Professional Development, and e-News: Kay Brawley
     Executive Director: 

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.
      2022-2023 President: Tamekia Bell 
      2022-2023 President-Elect: Robert McKinney
      2022-2023 Past President: Christie Jenkins

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.
     2022-2023 President: Frances McClain 
     2022-2023 President-Elect: 
     2022-2023 Past President: Angie Schubert 

 

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