President

 Sheila Babendir, EdD, LPC

Sheila Babendir, EdD, LPC, Behavioral Director of Atembis, located in Flagstaff.  Sheila graduated from Marian College in 1981 with Bachelor’s of Business Administration and University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Master's of Science in Counseling Psychology / Counseling Education.  She graduated with a Doctorate of Education in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University in 2009. Sheila was licensed in counseling in Arizona in 2004.  She completed internships and research specialties in Bipolar disorder, Pediatric Bipolar Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders.  

immediate past President

 Ann Ordway, JD,  PhD

Ann Ordway, JD, PhD is Program Director for the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. In this capacity, Ann supports AFCC’s chapters, develops educational programming, provides staff support for AFCC special projects, and collaborates on the production of AFCC eNEWS. Ann previously taught graduate-level students in the counseling department at the University of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona.  She was a practicing attorney for more than 20 years, with a practice focus on high conflict family litigation, including intimate partner violence, custody matters, and child protective services proceedings. Ann was a family mediator, child advocate, and parenting coordinator. She is an active member of the American Counseling Association and has presented Learning Institutes at the annual conferences six years in a row.

 Secretary

 Marcela Kepic, PhD

Marcela Kepic, Ph.D is an associate professor of practice in counseling in the Disability & Psychoeducational Studies Department. She is a Licensed Professional Counselors in the state of NJ, VA, and DC and an Approved Clinical Supervisor. Her expertise is in child and adolescent counseling, crisis response, and life development of older adults. Her research agenda is primarily focused on issues related to life satisfaction and wellness of older adults who experience many losses, especially loss of a spouse or significant other. Dr. Kepic’s further research interests include caregivers’ stress, caregiving trajectories, and wellness in student-athletes. Dr. Kepic is a member of the Association for Adult Development and Aging  (AADA) where she served in many different roles, including the president of the AADA. She also continues to serve on the Crisis, Disaster, and Trauma Task Force (CDT) of the ACA, and contributes to the development of the CDT competencies. As a member of the International Committee, Dr. Kepic is involved in exploring the understanding of counseling profession outside of the United States. Dr. Kepic also contributes to peer-reviewed publications and books, and national, regional, and state conference presentations. Lastly, she has been serving as a reviewer for the Adultspan Journal for few years now. She is trained in REBT, Gottman Method for couples, and biofeedback. 

Treasurer

Michael Hartley, PhD, CRC

Dr. Michael T. Hartley is an associate professor in the Counseling Program at The University of Arizona. Much of his scholarship on ethics has targeted distributive justice issues and therefore his scholarship on ethical obligations has focused on the importance of promoting resilience and of advocating against ableism or the preference for able-bodiedness. Dr. Hartley was the primary investigator of grants to promote resilience among military veterans with spinal cord injuries and youth with disabilities during the school-to-work transition. Most recently, his research on ethical issues in rehabilitation counseling practice were used to guide recent revisions to the 2017 Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor (CRCC) Code of Ethics, a taskforce he served on.  Dr. Hartley is knowledgeable about the profession and professional practice of rehabilitation counseling, and is committed to defining and better preparing rehabilitation counselors to work ethically and effectively with persons with disabilities.

Craig Mahaffy

Craig Mahaffy is currently a student in the Master of Science in Counseling program at the University of Phoenix. He is set to graduate February 2024 and begins his clinical training at Abundant Hope Integrated Solutions Spring of 2023. He graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business (Global Politics) and took his passion for serving others to Mexican border towns where he helped to develop non-governmental organizations that provide access to education to children. His organizational development work helped him uncover his deep love of accompanying others through the healing process. He currently works in the office of Access, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Phoenix as a Disability Services Advisor. He is an avid reader, eager meditator, and enjoys indoor rock climbing. His professional interests include psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, transpersonal psychology, mindfulness, and trauma-focused interventions.

Kimberly Mahr

Kimberly Mahr LPC, NCC, CCTP graduated from the University of California San Diego with a BA in Philosophy and from the University of Phoenix with a MSC in Clinical Counseling .  She is the  Clinical Director of Best Damn You LLC and an adjunct professor in the Masters in Clinical Mental Health program at the University of Phoenix.   She is licensed to treat in both AZ and FL and has clinical specialties in the areas of CPTSD, eating disorders, and supporting other mental health professionals. With a 30 year entrepreneurial background, she has grown many successful businesses and has traveled internationally speaking and training.