Graduate Faculty Research Highlights

Education in leadership professor Lisa Collins was featured in a promotional piece to support the River Democracy Act. The River Democracy Act aims to add nearly 4,700 miles of rivers and streams in Oregon to the national Wild and Scenic Rivers system – the largest Wild and Scenic Rivers effort in our nation’s history. It is being led by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley.

Professional mental health counseling professor Stella Beatríz Kerl-McClain and PMHC alum Meredith Noble presented a workshop at the Center for Community Engagement titled, “Fat Studies 101 for Counselors and Psychotherapists.”

Education professor Kimberly Campbell serves as the editor of Oregon English Journal. The Spring/Summer 2022 issue of the journal, which focused on the theme of renewal, has been chosen as a recipient of the 2022 NCTE Affiliate Journal of Excellence Award.

School counseling professor Laura Barbour and University of Montana professor Emily Sallee co-presented a roundtable discussion entitled: “Igniting Doctoral Dreams in Practicing School Counselors.”

Professional mental health counseling, addictions professor Justin Henderson presented a 3 hour training at the Northwest Institute of Addictions Studies conference entitled “Self-care is not the (only) solution to burnout.”

Professional mental health counseling, addictions Professor Alexia de León partnered with Harvard Medical School and Project Build Up to discuss historical trauma and culturally responsive care for Latinx communities impacted by problem gambling and other addictions.

Marriage, couple, and family therapy professor Pilar Hernandez-Wolfe was a round table participant in the “Eyes on Oregon”, at the Psychedelics Today conference. 

School counseling professors Heather Hadraba and Laura Barbour were invited as guest lecturers for the graduate Counseling program at Portland State University. Fifty counseling students attended their presentation titled, Assessment in K-12 schools: Current practicesand considerations for transformation.

Professional mental health counseling professors Cort Dorn-Medeiros and Stella Beatríz Kerl-McClain completed a presentation and a live chat session with 98 participants at the American Counseling Association’s Virtual Conference Experience. The title of the presentation was “Body Positivity, Size Diversity, HAES, and Fat Studies: Educating Counselors to Avoid Harm.”

Professional mental health counseling professor Rafe McCullough presented twice at the 2022 Western Association of Counselor Education and Supervision conference. The first session, presented alongside other counselor educators from around Oregon was titled “Welcoming LGBTQ+ Students: Best Practices Within the Field of Counselor Education.” The second session he presented was titled “Centering Disability in Social Justice Counseling Conversations.”

In her work as Arts Commissioner on the Oregon City Arts Commission, art therapy professor Mary Andrus facilitated a collaborative community mural to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the historic Arch Bridge. She had the privilege of working with tribal artists Brian Krehbiel and Mike Henry on the center panel representing the Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde. Community members from Oregon City and West Linn also contributed to the three panel mural. The mural will be on display over the next year at the Oregon City Library and the West Linn Library.

School counseling professor Laura Barbour presented at the Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (WACES) Conference. The presentation was entitled: “Preventing Burnout: Self-Compassion and Self-Care for School Counselors.”

Professional mental health counseling, addictions professors Alexia de León and Justin Henderson co-presented a training for the National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation’s Minority Fellowship Program. The training was part of a training series entitled ‘Innovations in Counseling: Working with Minority Populations.’ Professor de León and Professor Henderson’s presentation was entitled “Resisting Hate: Fostering Resiliency and Healing Through a Social Justice Model.”

Marriage, couple, and family therapy professor Pilar Hernandez-Wolfe served on the various committees for the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board. Professor Hernadez-Wolfe recently served on both the Rule advisory committee and the Training subcommittee. She is also continuing her service in the Equity subcommittee.

School counseling professor Heather Hadraba was invited to become a board member for the nonprofit organization– “Ok You”.