Brian Carnahan

Brian Carnahan is the executive director of the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist Board, where he is responsible for the leadership and administration of the Board’s operations. Brian joined the board in August 2014. Prior to joining the CSWMFT Board, he was director of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency's Office of Program Compliance.

He holds an MBA from Franklin University and an MA in geography from Kent State University. He completed undergraduate studies in geography and political science at The Ohio State University. He has served on the Association of Social Work Boards bylaws committee and is currently actively involved with other industry association committees such as the FARB Finance Committee. He represents Ohio boards and commissions on the eLicense Leadership/Advisory Committee and serves as the facilitator of a regular meeting of Ohio boards and commissions. During his tenure with OHFA, he served on the Housing Credit Certified Professional Board of Governors and on the board of the Midwest Affordable Housing Management Association. While on the board of the HCCP, he participated in a rewrite and a subsequent review of the credentialing exam.

He has published dozens of articles on licensure topics, regulatory affairs, and housing and community development in publications such as Social Work Today, Counseling Today (online), The New Social Worker, FARB Focus, Shelterforce, Affordable Housing Finance, Units, Journal of Tax Credits, NAHP Update, and HCCP Credential, among others.

Brian serves on the board of Homes on the Hill, a community development corporation serving Columbus’ Hilltop neighborhood as well as other neighborhoods in western Franklin County, Ohio.

Milagros B. Collazo

Ms. Collazo is executive director for the New Jersey State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners and its Professional Counselor Examiners Committee and Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee and the Creative Arts and Activities Therapies Board.

As executive director for the Board and its Committees she has oversight of licensing process for over 12,000 marriage and family therapists, alcohol and drug counselors and professional counselors.

Milagros has over 15 years’ experience in the nonprofit and government sector; past positions including Chief Operating Officer for the YWCA of Central New Jersey, and has served as member of several nonprofit boards throughout her professional career.

Milagros earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice from Bloomfield College and her master’s in Public Administration from Walden University.

Dr. Kylie P. Dotson-Blake, President and Chief Executive Officer National Board for Certified Counselors & Affiliates

Dr. Kylie Dotson-Blake serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer for the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and Affiliates. With over 65,000 National Certified Counselors (NCCs) and partnerships and engagement in more than 40 countries, NBCC is the premier credentialing organization for counselors. NBCC and Affiliates is comprised of three organizational affiliates: The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE) and the NBCC Foundation (NBCCF). Dr. Dotson-Blake joined the leadership team at NBCC as the Interim Chief Operating and Policy Officer and later served as the Interim President and CEO. Her tenure at NBCC also includes six years of service on the NBCC Board of Directors with two terms as the elected Chair of the Board.

Previously, Dotson-Blake served as Professor and Counselor Education program coordinator at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. She received her master’s degree in Counselor Education from East Carolina University and her doctorate in Counselor Education from The College of William and Mary. Over the course of her career, Dr. Dotson-Blake’s scholarship and engagement has focused on increasing access to mental health services in rural communities and expanding counseling services for children and families across the globe. Her professional service has largely centered on promoting and sustaining the professional infrastructure of counseling through governmental engagement and interagency collaboration. Through her work with NBCC and Affiliates, she has collaborated with international partners from Romania, Argentina, Bhutan, Malawi, Mexico, and others to advance legislative recognition of the profession of counseling and expand access to mental health and career development services.

Kevin Doyle

Kevin Doyle is the Dean of the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies in Center City, MN. He licensed as a professional counselor (LPC) and a substance abuse treatment practitioner (LSATP) in Virginia and has served four terms on the Virginia licensing board, the Virginia Board of Counseling, with three terms a Chair, as well as two terms on Virginia Board of Health Professions. He currently serves as President of the American Association of State Counseling Boards (AASCB) and recently completed his term as the senior co-Chair of the Ethics Committee of the American Counseling Association.

Dr. Kelly Duncan

Dr. Kelly Duncan began her duties as the ACES executive director on January 1, 2020. She has been involved in counseling for more than 30 years and has been a counselor educator since 2003. Duncan was the executive director of the South Dakota branch of the American Counseling Association for 15 years. There she coordinated the membership and financial, planned conferences and workshops, and advocated at the state and national level for the profession. Her past professional leadership experiences include serving as secretary of NCACES, chair of the ACA Midwest Region, and two terms as the Midwest Region representative to the ACA Governing Council. She has also served as chair of several ACA task forces and committees.

Lynn Etheridge

S. Lynn Etheridge is both an attorney and a Licensed Professional Counselor, with a PhD in Counselor Education. She was appointed to the Mississippi Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors in 2018. She has been very active in the profession, having served as the president of the Mississippi Counseling Association and the Mississippi Licensed Professional Counseling Association before being appointed to the board. She is currently an assistant professor at Alcorn State University, and continues to see clients as a Registered Play Therapist as well as an LPC-S, and advocates on behalf of children by participating as an expert witness on occasion.

Isbah Ali Farzan, PhD, Director of Assessment and Lead Psychometrician at the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

Isbah supervises eight testing programs offered to more than 50,000 counselors every year. She has more than 15 years of experience in the designing and reporting of educational and professional certification examinations.

Isbah is active in testing and research industries. She was invited to be on the implementation working group by the Brookings Institution for Sustainable Development Goals and has worked with the American Institutes for Research, the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, and the Aga Khan University Examination Board. She is a member of the Psychometric Society, the American Psychological Association, and the American Educational Research Association.

Nathaniel Flinchbaugh

Nathaniel Flinchbaugh currently serves as a senior associate general counsel for the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of General Counsel. As part of his role, he acts as a board advisory attorney and disciplinary counsel in contested case hearings. Flinchbaugh has served four years in this role. He holds a Master of Laws in health law from Loyola University Chicago-School of Law and a juris doctor and Master of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. Flinchbaugh currently holds a certification in health care compliance and is a Certified Pharmacy Technician. He is licensed to practice law in Florida, Tennessee and the United States Supreme Court.

Janet Hartman

Janet Hartman is the executive director for the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. Prior to her appointment in 2019, she retired from state law enforcement as the Chief of Law Enforcement for the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. She will graduate from Florida State University in April with a degree in interdisciplinary social science and an undergraduate certificate in emergency management and homeland security.

Dr. Lynn E. Linde, NCC

Dr. Lynn Linde is the Chief Knowledge and Learning Officer at the American Counseling Association. She is responsible for overseeing all content and professional issues for the association. Additionally, she works with other organizations and oversees a number of initiatives, including working with NCIC on the Interstate Compact for Licensure Portability. She was formerly a Clinical Assistant Professor of Education and the Director of Clinical Programs in the School Counseling Program at Loyola College in Maryland, where she was also the Chi Sigma Iota faculty advisor, and the CACREP liaison. She received her B.A. in psychology from Clark University, and her master’s in school counseling and doctorate in counseling from the George Washington University. Prior to teaching at Loyola, she was the Chief of the Student Services and Alternative Programs Branch at the Maryland State Department of Education, the State Specialist for school counseling, a local school system counseling supervisor, and school counselor.

Dr. Linde was the 2009-2010 president of the American Counseling Association and the 2012-13 treasurer of ACA. She served in a number of other leadership positions in ACA and the Maryland Counseling Association, including as a member of the 2014 ACA Ethics Revision Task Force. She is an ACA Fellow and the recipient of two ACA Presidential Awards, the ACA Counselor Educator Advocacy Award, the ACA Carl Perkins Award, the ACES Program Supervisor Award, and the SACES Program Supervisor Award, as well as numerous awards from the state counseling association and from the state of Maryland for her work in counseling, student services and youth suicide prevention.

She has authored or co-authored several chapters in books on ethics and legal issues in counseling. She has made over 500 presentations, particularly in the area of ethics and legal issues for counselors and public policy and legislation over the span of her career.

Gloria Lindsey

Gloria Lindsey assumed her current role July 1, 2019, as executive director for the Board of Therapeutic Massage, Board of Chiropractic Examiners, Acupuncture Advisory Committee, Committee for Professional Counselors, and the Committee for Marital and Family Therapists. Previously, she worked for the Division of Workers’ Compensation and the Department of Transportation in key support roles. She began her career with the State of Missouri in September 2001 with Professional Registration as the Division Strategic Planner. Immediately after college, she lived in Oklahoma, where she eventually owned bagel shops and a distribution center in the Tulsa area. Born and raised in Branson, Missouri, she received her Bachelor of Science from Missouri State University in Springfield. Lindsey has three children. As of this May, her two daughters will have graduated from the University of Missouri- Columbia, with her oldest living and working in Chicago. Her son will be in his junior year on the campus of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.

Callie Marino, MS, EdS, NCC, LCMHC, Vice President, Credentialing and Quality Assurance at the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

Callie received her Master of Science and Educational Specialist degrees in Couples and Family Counseling at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In her current role, she ensures NBCC standards for all certifications and credentials, including ethical codes and continuing education provider responsibilities.

Callie oversees examination development and maintenance in accordance with best practices in credentialing and examination development. She is also a marriage and family counselor in private practice in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Lindsay McGrath

Lindsay McGrath is Vice-Chair of the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists and served as Chair from 2016 to 2019. As a member of an inter-disciplinary regulatory board, she has experience collaborating with multiple state agencies, stakeholders, and groups to identify a pathway to licensure and compliance for unlicensed practitioners.

In addition, Lindsay has held a variety of community advisory roles, including as liaison to the Lake Oswego School District (LOSD) School Advisory Committee from 2014 to 2018. During that time, she participated in the LOSD Human Sexuality Education Plan Task Force, which helped create district guidelines in compliance with both the Oregon Department of Education statutes and new state legislation on sexual abuse prevention instruction (2017).

Lindsay also serves as the Counselor representative for Person-Centered Tech, a national, APA- and NBCC-approved online continuing education and telemental health/HIPAA support and compliance organization. She advises PCT on strategies to ensure all programs meet internal standards as well as the needs of their clients, the therapeutic professional community.   

Lindsay received her Master's Degree in Counselor Education with an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy from Portland State University. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist registered with the State of Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists and accordingly adheres to the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics.

Joel E. Miller, M.S. Ed.

In his current role as executive director and CEO of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, Joel Miller leads over 7,000 clinical mental health counselors who have a critically important impact on the lives of Americans with behavioral health conditions. AMHCAs mission is to enhance the mental health counseling profession through advocacy, professional development, education and licensing. Miller is responsible for all operations of the organization and implementing strategic initiatives in support of the board of directors. He is the publisher of AMHCA’s Journal of Mental Health Counseling and its Advocate newsletter. He also serves as a member on the AMHCA Foundation board of directors.

In his previous position at the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), he led the development and implementation of NASMHPD’s policy agenda and regulatory strategies, which were designed to support State Behavioral Health Agencies and the state public behavioral health systems. He also served as director of NASMHPD’s Financing and Medicaid Division.

As a strong advocate on healthcare for seniors, he currently serves as the chairman of the National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging, which is comprised of 100 behavioral health and aging-related policy organizations. Miller also has served on state health planning boards and committees, and was a founding board member of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

Amy Milsom, LPC-S, NCC

Amy Milsom, is a professor and department chair at Appalachian State University and the current chair of the CACREP Board of Directors. She has experience working in private practice and college counseling settings and providing supervision to graduate students and post-master’s graduates seeking LPC licensure.

Angele Moss-Baker, LPC, LMFT, MAC, EAS-C, DCMHS-COD

Angele Moss-Baker is a seasoned licensed clinical mental health counselor with over 30 years of experience providing comprehensive, integrated treatment services to individuals with co-occurring behavioral health disorders. She is sole proprietor of Comprehensive Addiction & Psychological Services LLC, located in the District of Columbia and known for providing EAP counseling; critical incident stress management; individual, group and couples/family counseling; and CE workshops. She is also the Behavioral Health Training Specialist at the DC Department of Behavioral Health.

Moss-Baker is notably the first African American president of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA). She is dedicated to the behavioral health profession and is an active member of several professional associations including NAADAC, DCMHCA, EAPA and IAC.

Aisha Nixon

Aisha Nixon currently serves as the executive director for the boards of Allied and Behavioral Health, located within the District of Columbia Department of Health. As executive director Nixon is responsible for seven health professional boards that regulate over 10,000 healthcare professionals in the District of Columbia. Nixon has worked for DC Health since 2014, where she started as a health licensing specialist and moved her way up to the role of executive director. Prior to joining the regulatory arena, Nixon has over 10 years of experience in the healthcare field, both in clinical and administrative capacities.

She has development into a passionate regulator with a focus on ensuring residents of the District of Columbia receive the best healthcare services possible and that licensees understand the role of regulatory authorities.

Nixon graduated from Howard University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in health sciences. In addition, she holds a master’s degree in physical therapy from Howard University. She also graduated from George Washington University’s Certified Public Manager program.

Nixon is from Brooklyn, NY, by way of Grenada, also known as Spice Isle. She has lived in the District of Columbia for over 20 years. She is an avid reader who loves to travel.

Anthony P. Onorato, MA, LPC, ALPS

Tony Onorato is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Approved Licensed Professional Supervisor (ALPS) and Sports Performance Consultant at APO Counseling in Morgantown, W.Va., for over 25 years. He is also the owner of ProHealth Employee Assistance Program.

Tony was a member of the WVU wrestling team from 1984 to 1989 and was a Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach while he earned his master’s degree in Counseling at WVU. His two younger brothers, Dave and Tom, also wrestled at WVU. Additionally, he does the color commentary for the Big12 on ESPN+ at WVU home wrestling matches.

Tony has worked for former WVU Coach and College Football Hall of Fame member Don Nehlen, former Cleveland Cavaliers Coach and University of Michigan Men’s Basketball Coach John Beilein (while at WVU),University of Michgan Women’s Gymnastics Coach Bev Plocki, and Binghamton Men’s Soccer Coach Paul Marco.

Tony sits on the West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling, is a board member of the American Mental Health Counselors Association and past president of the West Virginia Licensed Professional Counselors Association.

Tony’s keys to success are; 1) Know what’s important to you, 2) Work from your strengths, 3) Focus on what you can control and 4) Make sure you have fun.

Ryan Pickut

Ryan Pickut is the Past-President of the American Association of State Counselor Boards. He has served on the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (OCSWMFT) for six years after being appointed by Governor Kasich. He served one year as the Chair of the Counselor Professional Standards Committee on the OCSWMFT Board. He also served one year as the Chair of the Continuing Education Committee on this board. Most recently, he was nominated to serve as the Chair Person for the entire board. Professionally, Ryan works as the Director of Clinical Services at Maryhaven which is Central Ohio's largest Non-Profit Behavioral Healthcare Provider. He studied community and school counseling at the University of Toledo. Ryan has worked with youth, adults, and families who struggle with mental health and addiction for seventeen years.

Stephon Plummer

Stefon Plummer was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. He moved to North Carolina in 2013 after completing his Master of Public Administration at Albany State University. He also holds a bachelor's degree in history and political science from the same university. He has worked as the North Carolina Board of License Clinical Mental Health Counselors since November of 2017. Plummer is married with two children, including a 2-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. His hobbies include mentoring at-risk youth, watching and playing basketball, engaging in and discussing politics, and playing competitive video games.

Lucy Richards

Lucy Richards has worked for the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Professional Licensing Bureau since 2016. She currently serves as the as executive officer for the boards of Behavioral Health, Barbers & Cosmetologists, Occupational Therapy Practice, and Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists. She has an educational background in biology and has worked for the state of Montana since 2005. She is a proud career bureaucrat with specializations in general government administration, legislation and policy, and records and information management. In her free time she enjoys hiking, traveling, history, science and watching baseball.

Denauvo M. Robinson, Ed.D., LCMHC(S), NCC, NBCCH

Denauvo Robinson is currently chair of the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors. He is in his fourth term and has served as chair for two terms. Robinson is currently retired, having over 45 years of extensive people-related experience in education and community-related settings. He holds a doctorate from Grambling State University. In his career, he has served as president and CEO, vice-chancellor, executive director(s), vice president, headmaster, and psychological counselor. He is married to Jan King Robinson JD., retired. Their family includes Devire and his wife, Brittani, both attorneys in Charlotte, N.C., grandchildren Ava and Dean, and Camille (daughter), a professional actor in Chicago, Illinois. 

Kim Speakman

Kimberly (Kim) Speakman is the Vice-President of the State of Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists, and Clinical Pastoral Therapists. She is in her second term as a member of the board. Kim is a Licensed Professional Counselor/Mental Health Service Provider in the State of Tennessee and is a nationally Certified Healthcare Compliance professional. She has worked for Mental Health Cooperative in Nashville, Tennessee, for over 26 years in both clinical and administrative roles. For the past 16 years, she has served as the Director of Compliance for the agency. Kim is a founding member of the Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselor’s Association (TLPCA), as well as the organization’s first treasurer, a former president of the organization, and finance committee chair. Kim is also currently a member of the Education Committee for Mental Health America of the MidSouth.

Heather Trepal, Ph.D., LPC-S

Heather Trepal, Ph.D., LPC-S (TX) is a professor and coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in the Department of Counseling at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research and publications focus on professional advocacy, counselor education and supervision, culturally responsive counseling, self-injurious behavior, sexual trauma and integrated behavioral healthcare. She currently serves as the project director for the Program for the Integrated Training of Counselors in Behavioral Health (PITCH), a four-year $807,000 Federal Health Resources and Services Administration Behavioral Health Workforce Education & Training grant. Dr. Trepal has served as president of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and the Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC), both divisions of the American Counseling Association (ACA). She was the 2019-2020 president of the American Counseling Association.

Mr. David J. Walker, MPA

David Walker is the Health Licensing Specialist for the District of Columbia Board of Professional Counseling. Mr. Walker recently completed a master’s degree in public administration where he was inducted into Alpha Chi: National College Honor Society, Golden Key International Honor Society, and became a proud member of the American Society for Public Administration. In his free time, Mr. Walker enjoys cooking and baking for his friends and loved ones.

Scott A. Wilkes, JD, Ph.D., LISW-S

Dr. Scott A. Wilkes is the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University. He has held that position since 2015. He previously held the position of the Director of Field Education at the Mandel School from 2011 to 2015. He has more than 15 years of experience working in the area of child welfare.

Dr. Wilkes received his BSW from the City University of New York, Lehman College and his MSSW from Columbia University. He is also a graduate of Case Western Reserve University, School of Law and received his PhD from CWRU.

In February 2020, he was appointed by Ohio Governor Mike Dewine to serve as a member of the Ohio Counselor, Social Work and Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Board. The three-year appointment affords him the ability to shape professional licensing policies and procedures on a state level. In just three months after being appointed to the CSWMFT Board, he accepted the role of Chair of the Social Work Professional Standards Committee. In that leadership capacity, he will chair the biannual social work meetings and serve as the voting delegate for the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) annual meetings.

Tobi Zavala

Tobi Zavala is the Executive Director of the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (AzBBHE). AzBBHE regulates the practice of behavioral health professionals by licensing counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and substance abuse counselors. She was appointed as the Executive Director of AzBBHE more than five years ago after first serving as Interim Executive Director, Deputy Director, Assistant Director and Compliance Officer. Tobi is a graduate of Arizona State University where she received a Bachelor of Social Work.

Tobi joined AzBBHE in 2010, and was immediately impressed by the dedication and caring of the professionals that the Board serves. Behavioral health as a career can be rewarding and sometimes heartbreaking. Working on a daily basis with an often vulnerable population takes special individuals and she is honored to represent the Agency that regulates these hardworking professionals.

Now as the Executive Director, Tobi’s goals for AzBBHE are to maintain the safety and welfare of the public, ensure our applicants and licensees are treated fairly and equitably, and monitor behavioral health and licensing trends to keep the Board aligned with federal and national standards.

Tobi’s passion is to ensure that her staff and she strive for continual improvement in Board operations. Her commitment to the Board and committee members, the public, and our licensees is that she will enhance our processes and procedures where possible, while maintaining the integrity the regulated community has come to expect from our Agency.