Cassie Storlie, PhD, LPCC-S (OH), NCC, RN (IL)

Candidate Statement:

I am running for ACA Treasurer because I believe our members deserve a treasurer who sees fiscal stewardship as an ethical imperative rooted in our professional values. I bring a strong foundation to this role. I have worked closely with CFO’s in navigating multimillion-dollar budgets in healthcare leadership, directed federally funded and private foundation grants over the course of several years, generated profits at regional conferences, and served within governance structures that strengthened organizational accountability. My current service on ACA’s Financial Affairs Committee and Investment Committee has deepened my understanding of ACA's fiscal infrastructure and how we can continue to advance the counseling profession through intentionality and transparency. As a counselor educator, Immediate Past President of ACES, and 2025-2026 ACA Treasurer Elect-Designee, I believe that ACA can advance the counseling profession by ensuring financial decisions remain congruent with our professional identity. I will continue to ask the hard questions when revenue streams or expenditures contradict with who we are as a profession. I believe it equally important to ensure budgetary decisions and priorities reflect our commitment to culturally intentional, responsive and sustaining practice.    Membership dues represent a choice that ACA members make, particularly in today’s economy. As such, I want to define my role as Treasurer with a spirit of transparency, accountability, and servant leadership in alignment with our values as professional counselors. It is essential that we continue a legacy of transparent communication with members about how their dues are being managed. Lastly, I want members to know that I lead with integrity. Doing the right thing isn’t always the easy choice and I plan to ask critical questions that will protect our field and ensure that ACA remains a financial steward of your investment. I am ready and would be honored to serve.

Candidate Biography:

Cassie Storlie, PhD, LPCC-S, NCC, RN, is a Professor of Counselor Education and Supervision and Coordinator of the PhD, Ed, and Master’s programs at Kent State University. Having been a professional counselor for 22 years, Dr. Storlie brings a uniquely integrative perspective to financial leadership—one grounded in ethics, professional identity, and accountability.  Dr. Storlie's leadership trajectory crosses state, regional, national, and international counseling organizations and speaks directly to the competencies required of an ACA Treasurer. To highlight a few roles: she is the Immediate Past President of ACES, and the ACES Liaison to the Professional Counseling Leadership Coalition. She has served on ACA’s Professional Advocacy taskforce and co-chaired ACA’s Awards Committee (2019-2020) and is actively serving on NCDA’s Multicultural Competencies Revision taskforce. She is currently ACA's Treasurer Elect-Designee, serving on ACA’s Financial Affairs and Investment Committees.    Her financial stewardship experience includes managing multimillion-dollar budgets in hospital-based behavioral health leadership - where she supervised 67 staff across three inpatient units -and serving as principal investigator on grants exceeding $150,000 through the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, supporting college and career readiness for BIPOC youth in Northeast Ohio. She also served as Co-I on a HRSA grant (over $1.5 million) to support students obtaining their Addictions Counseling Certificate. As a Latina, Dr. Storlie's research centers on counselor leadership, advocacy, and the career development of Latine and BIPOC communities. She is Co-Editor of the Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, has authored over 65 journal articles and book chapters, and was Co-Editor of Counseling Leaders & Advocates: Strengthening the Future of the Profession. Dr. Storlie was the recipient of ACA's David Brooks Outstanding Mentor Award and multiple national and state recognitions for scholarship and mentorship. She is committed to transparent, values-driven financial leadership in service of ACA's mission and its members.