Krylyn Peters, LPC, Executive Director

Sarah A. Smoger, LPC, NCC - Central Chapter Chair - is currently the School Counselor at The Art Institute of Phoenix where she provides a large arrray of counseling and referral services to students. Sarah is also adjunct faculty at Argosy University/Phoenix and actively involved as part of Argosy's Program Advisory Board for the Professional Counseling program. Sarah graduated from Michigan State University with undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice where she focused on research related to high-level skill execution and performance under pressure. She then graduated from Argosy University/Phoenix with a Master's degree in Professional Counseling with a focus and interest in school counseling.

Lindsay Kalish, MA, LPC, Past President - completed her masters program from Argosy University in October, 2003 in Professional Counseling. While attending school, Lindsay worked in group homes and hospitals as a behavioral health technician, educating patients and parents on behavioral management and impulse control. Lindsay completed practicum training at Phoenix Interfaith Counseling, where she provided individual, couple and family counseling for children, adolescents and adults. After completing her training, Lindsay began working in the outpatient program at Banner Behavioral Health, where she continues to provide intensive group therapy to adolescents. She also provides group therapy for patients in acute care and partial hospitalization programs. Lindsay’s latest project includes starting her own private practice specializing in adolescents, families and young adults, providing process groups for adolescents and young adults through her practice as well as family and individual counseling. She also is a clinical supervisor for licensed associate counselors, who are working towards obtaining their LPC. Lindsay has participated in various community projects, such as Teen Awareness and Suicide Prevention week, where she spoke about teen suicide and self harming behaviors. In 2005, she created an anger management program that was implemented in various high schools in the valley. Lindsay has been a member of AzCA since 2001 as a student member and hopes to be an asset to the Arizona Counselors Association through promoting the organization to other professionals and participating in the development of pertinent workshops and conferences related to the counseling field.

Mara Linder, JD, MA, President – is a practicing attorney who obtained her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Argosy University/Phoenix in 2004. She teaches as an Adjunct Professor at Argosy University and is a member of the University’s Advisory Board for the Professional Counseling program. Mara obtained her B.A., cum laude, in Psychology in 1989 and her law degree in 1992 from the University of Texas at Austin. She is an active member of the State Bar of Arizona and has taught and published in the legal field. She is also a member of the Arizona Counselors Association and has been published in the Arizona Counseling Journal. Mara is pursuing her credentials in family mediation through Association of Conflict Resolution (ACR) approved training courses.

Erin L. Stanfield, MSW, Treasurer - holds a Bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy from Indiana University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Arizona State University. She is a Certified Personal Trainer through the American Council of Exercise (ACE) and has worked in the Spa industry prior to realizing her passion of helping people achieve happiness through counseling. Erin believes in an integrated mind and body, therefore utilizes a holistic approach to mental health in hopes of reuniting individuals and couples to their desired state.

Kelly M. Ford, MA, LAC – is currently a Counselor at The Art Institute of Phoenix where she provides a large array of counseling and referral services in a post-secondary educational environment. Additionally, Kelly has been a Crisis Counselor for Compass Mental Health for the past year. Kelly received her Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Argosy University in October, 2006 and is a Licensed Associate Counselor. She has also completed the curriculum for her Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology. Kelly graduated from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, MN with an undergraduate degree in Business Management. She spent the first 15 years of her professional life as a business person holding sales, managerial and director level positions in the industrial, entertainment and transportation industries.

Joyce A. DeVoss, Ph.D., NCC, Journal Lead Editor - Arizona Licensed Psychologist, Coordinator of the M.Ed. School Counseling Program for Northern Arizona University at the Tucson Statewide site, part time private practitioner with specialties in child, adolescent, family and couples counseling, treatment of anxiety, depression, childhood abuse and grief and loss, co-editor of the 2004 AzCA journal, past president of the Adlerian Society of Arizona and local chair for the 2005 conference of the North American Society for Adlerian Psychology (NASAP), member of ACA, APA, NASAP, WACES and ASCA.

Shannon Morrill MA, LAC, NCC, Government Relations Committee Chair - She currently works at Superstition Mountain Mental Health Agency as Outpatient Therapist. She recently graduated from NAU with a Master in Counseling. She is goal oriented and willing to go above and beyond to get the job done.

Judith Ann Hagan, MSW, LISW, Newsletter Editor - PhoenixSocialWorker.com Judith is currently Editor for AzCA Newsletter, past editor for department newsletters for American Express and Arizona Department of Transportation. Also published monthly mental health papers in the Moon Valley Tattler for three years. Judith is a currently a Counselor at Desert View Counseling and Consulting, Inc. and also operates a part time private practice in North Central Phoenix. Areas of expertise include EAP, Research Projects, Adoption, Direct Practice, and Political Change. She earned her Masters degree in 1985 from ASU and graduated with honors. She has completed internships in Alcohol/Drug, Domestic Violence, and Child Protection. She has worked for peaceful political change in many areas including social justice, respect for living beings, and the environment.

Bart Lerner, Ed.D., Argosy University Faculty Representative - is the Program Chair of the M.A. Professional Counseling Program and a member of the Sport-Exercise Psychology faculty at Argosy University/Phoenix. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona and an AAASP Certified Consultant, in which his areas of interest include youth sport education, performance enhancement training (e.g., goal setting, imagery, performance anxiety), self-confidence, psychological aspects of injury and rehabilitation, substance abuse issues, supervision and training, and graduate training in sport psychology.

Dr. Lawrence M. Sideman, Argosy University Faculty Representative - is licensed in the State of Arizona as a Psychologist, a Professional Counselor (LPC), and as an Independent Substance Abuse Counselor (LISAC). He is currently an Associate Professor of clinical psychology at Argosy University/Phoenix and maintains an independent practice in Phoenix. From 2004-2005, he was an Assistant Professor and the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies in Professional Counseling at Ottawa University and from 1993-2003, Dr. Sideman was the Clinical Director and Assistant Executive Director at Treatment Assessment Screening Center (TASC, Inc.). He is a current member of the American Psychological Association and the Arizona Psychological Association, where he served on the Ethics Committee for 5 years. He has been on the Board of the Arizona Counselors Association for the past year.

Pit Kolodinsky, Yuma/Southwest Chapter Chair - is an Associate Professor of Counseling at Northern Arizona University, and coordinates the Community and School counseling programs on the NAU-Yuma campus. Pit is an Arizona LPC and NBC Counselor with 17 years of clinical experience, much of it in sexual abuse treatment, traumatic incident reduction for PTSD, hypnotherapy, anxiety disorders and marital counseling. Research interests have focused on spirituality and meditation in the counseling arena, as well as occupational self-efficacy, and most recently, brainwave biofeedback. Pit was active in AZCA from 2002-2004, and has has been instrumental in the development of training opportuntities (Parent Project, Eating Disorder treatment, and Traumatic Incident Reduction) for AZCA-Southwest (Yuma chapter) since May 2005.

Julia S. Wessels, Julia S. Wessels, MA, LAC - Julia graduated from the University of Maryland in 2004 with an MA in Counseling and Personnel Services and received her BA degree from the University of New York at Oneonta in 1994 with a BA in Sociology Pre-Professional. Julia spent her graduate internship working at a substance abuse clinic where she provided individual and group counseling services and undergraduate experience working for Aid to Battered Women and Rape Crisis Services. While there she worked as a shelter assistant in the residential Domestic Violence Shelter as well as regularly manning a crisis hotline and conducting short term crisis counseling for domestic violence and rape victims. Julia recently returned to the states after living in England, where her husband was stationed in the Air Force and is currently in the process to be licensed as a Professional Counselor.

Oly Cowles, MC, LAC, LISAC, NCC - Member at Large - has over thirty years experience working with troubled youth and families in Arizona’s juvenile justice system. Currently, he is the Director of Arizona Counseling Associates, Inc. Prior to going into private practice he served as the Community Corrections Administrator for the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections. Oly was responsible for the daily operations and management of the Department’s statewide parole department, resource centers, re-entry program and all community services. Oly has served as a Probation Officer and Supervisor for the Maricopa County Juvenile Probation Department. Prior to working with the Juvenile Court, Oly was the Youth Service Director for Project Aware and a counselor at Arizona Boys Community.Oly has been recognized for his distinguished service and is a past recipient of the Maricopa County Probation Officer of the Year Award, the Arizona Probation Officer of the Year Award and the Protecting Children, Families and Communities Award from the Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court. Oly holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work and a Masters Degree in Counseling. Additionally, he is certified as a Criminal Justice Addictions Professional through the Arizona Board for Certification of Addiction Counselors. He serves on the Membership Committee for The Arizona Play Therapy Association and the Steering Committee for the Arizona Community Development Initiative.

Genny L. Gaustad, MC, LPC, CADAC, NCC – graduated with a Masters degree in Counseling from Arizona State University in 2003. Genny is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor working with Abundant Life Counseling in Tempe. She is also an Adjunct Faculty member in the Psychology Department at Mesa Community College. This is a new venture for Genny and she loves being reminded of what it was like to take your first psychology course in college. Genny has done much of her work in the criminal justice system with parolees as a substance abuse counselor and also with adolescents facilitating a grant funded domestic violence prevention program in the Osborn School District. Genny currently works with adults, children, adolescents, and families empowering them to meet their goals and achieve growth and health through the counseling process.

Carolyn Berk-Bender, LPC, FAACS-President Elect

Martin Loaiza, LISAC-President Elect, Elect

Geovana Colosio-Member at Large Southwest Region

Rachel Thomas, MA-Ottawa University Faculty Representative

Kristi England - Brown-Ottawa University Student Representative - Kristi is currently enrolled in the Masters of Arts for Professional Counseling at Ottawa University – Phoenix. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Arizona State University- West in 2003. She has 20 years work experience in worker’s compensation field. She is involved in the community through various volunteer events including previously serving 2 years as the Area Coordinator concurrently for the South Valley and West Valley Disaster Action Teams for the American Red Cross Grand Canyon Chapter. She currently serves as the Volunteer Liaison for her team with her current employer. She is looking forward to exploring the different areas of counseling and beginning her practicum next summer.

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