Current Officers (May 1, 2022-April 30, 2023)
Elected Officers/Executive Council
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AnnaGrace Baldwin Interim Executive Director |
AnnaGrace Baldwin was born and raised in the Birmingham area. She graduated from Birmingham-Southern College (1995), where she majored in history and math, minored in music, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. As a lifelong learner, she holds two Master’s degrees: Math Secondary Education (1996) and Community/Agency Counseling (2001), both from the University of Montevallo. In 2007, she earned an Ed.S. degree in School Counseling (University of Alabama at Birmingham) and became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).
AnnaGrace began her professional career as a middle school math teacher. She served as a counselor in an adolescent residential facility in Shelby County before returning back to the school setting. She has been a school counselor at Homewood Middle School since 2007. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and enjoys every opportunity to present to graduate students.
AnnaGrace has been a member of the Governing Board of the Alabama School Counselor Association since 2014 and has served in a variety of appointed and elected roles, including: President (2018-19), Professional Development Committee Assistant Chair, Communications Committee Assistant Chair (website), Vice-President Middle/Junior High School, Professional Recognition Chair, and the Bylaws and Handbook Review Committee Chair. She has also served as a division officer for the Alabama Counseling Association. AnnaGrace has presented at the local, state, and national level and is an active member of several professional organizations, including: the Alabama School Counselor Association, the American School Counselor Association, and the Alabama Counseling Association. During her time at Homewood Middle School, the School Counseling Program has earned the RAVE (Recognition of Accountability and Verification of Excellence) Bronze (2016), Silver (2017), and Gold (2018) Awards. The program was also designated as an Alabama School Counseling Program of Distinction in 2019 and earned RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program) designation from the American School Counselor Association in 2020. AnnaGrace was very honored to have been named the 2019 Alabama Secondary Counselor of the Year and the 2021 Alabama School Counselor of the Year.
AnnaGrace lives in Shelby County with her husband, Patrick, son, Landon, and their fur-babies, Dakota and Stella.
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Daniel Birdsong President Budget and Finance Committee Assistant Chair Bylaws Committee Professional Development Committee |
Daniel Birdsong is an Assistant Professor of Counseling and the School Counseling Program Coordinator in the Graduate Counseling Program at the University of Montevallo (UM). Additionally, he works part-time at Warrior Wellness Group as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Alabaster. Previously, he served as a school counselor at Creek View Elementary School (CVES) in Alabaster City Schools. He is a Licensed Professional counselor in Alabama (#3827), an Approved Clinical Supervisor (#3844), a National Certified Counselor (#717568), and a National Certified School Counselor (#717568). Daniel earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Choral Music Education and a Master of Education degree in School Counseling from the UM. He earned an Educational Specialist degree from Jacksonville State University in School Counseling and a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Samford University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Holy Cross. His research interests include implementation and support for comprehensive school counseling programs and school counselor professional advocacy.
Daniel is passionate about training future school counselors to support all students’ social/emotional, academic, and career development through comprehensive school counseling programs. Demonstrating program implementation and alignment with the American School Counselor Association National (ASCA) Model and Alabama Counseling Plan as a school counselor, CVES received the Bronze Recognition of Accountability, Verification, and Excellence (RAVE) Award for the 2016-2017 school year in November 2017; the Silver RAVE Award for the 2017-2018 school year in November 2018; and the Gold RAVE Award for the 2018-2019 school year in November 2019. CVES received the Alabama School Counseling Program of Distinction Award for the 2019-2020 school year in October 2020 and the Recognized ASCA Model Program Award in July 2021. In addition to program awards, Daniel received the Asa Sparks New School Counselor of the Year Award in November 2017, the University of Montevallo Graduate Counseling Program Outstanding Alumni Award in February 2018, the Alabaster City Schools Counselor of the Year Award in March 2018, and the Alabama Counseling Association Emerging Leader Award in November 2018.
Daniel has served on the Alabama School Counselor Association Governing Board since 2016 in a variety of roles and on multiple committees including: Professional Recognition Committee Chair, Awards Luncheon Chair, Professional Development Committee, Bylaws and Policies/Procedures Committee, and the Elections Committee. He currently serves as President.
Daniel lives in Alabaster with his wife, Phebe, six-year-old daughter, Ruth, and two-year-old son, Griff.
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Patrice Davis President-Elect ALCA Program Selection Chair Budget and Finance Committee Professional Development Committee |
Patrice Davis is a lifelong Mobile resident with 29 years’ experience in the Baldwin County Public School System. After graduating from the University of South Alabama in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in Language Arts, she furthered her studies at the University of South Alabama where she graduated in 1995 with a Master of Education degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in Language Arts. In 1996, she received certification in school counseling from the University of South Alabama; and in 1999, she received certification in administration/supervision from Alabama State University. In 1998, she graduated from the University of South Alabama with her Educational Specialist degree as an Instructional Specialist in Secondary Language Arts. In addition to these educational achievements, Patrice is a 2007 graduate of the University of Alabama Superintendents’ Academy.
During her twenty-nine year career in the Baldwin County Public School System, Patrice has served as an English teacher at Fairhope High School; a counselor at Bay Minette Middle School; and an assistant principal and principal at Bay Minette Middle School. She currently serves as the Intervention Supervisor, whereby she supervises the school counselors, school social workers, transition liaison coach, homebound teachers, and on campus suspension aides. In addition, she serves as the Section 504 Compliance Coordinator and the Homebound Services Coordinator for the district, as well as the administrator for the At Risk Budget.
Since 2019, Patrice has served on the ALSCA Governing Board as VP Counselor Supervisor. Additionally, she has served on the Professional Development Committee. Patrice lends her time to several civic and community organizations in Baldwin County. She is the Immediate Past Chairman for the Board of Directors for the United Way of Baldwin County, and she is a past President of the Board of Directors for the Snook Youth Club of Foley. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Baldwin County’s Child Advocacy Center, and she is also a member of the Baldwin County Underage Drinking Task Force. In addition, she serves on the Baldwin County Community Alliance, of which she is one of the charter members. In her spare time, Patrice enjoys reading, shopping, and traveling.
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Laura Hodges President-Elect-Elect VP Counselor Educator Budget and Finance Committee Professional Development Committee |
Dr. Laura I. Hodges is an Associate Professor of Counseling in the Graduate Counseling program at Troy University in Montgomery. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in French, a Master of Arts degree in Counseling, both from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counselor Education and Supervision from Sam Houston State University, located in Huntsville, Texas. She has a combined 15 years of service in the public-school setting as a teacher and
school counselor. Dr. Hodges is an Alabama Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S), a Texas Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S), a National Certified Counselor (NCC), and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). Her experience includes serving as a school counselor at all grade levels and in all sizes of school districts, from rural to urban settings. She is the School Counseling Coordinator and Clinical Coordinator for the Montgomery campus, and the Educational Specialist (EdS) in School Counseling program Coordinator for Troy University. Her scholarly interests include child abuse and neglect, mandated reporting, bullying prevention, and school counselor impairment.
Laura began her graduate academic work in pursuit of becoming a counselor – specifically a school counselor – to be an advocate for children and an agent of change in schools. It was during her service as a school counselor that she decided to pursue her doctorate in order to teach the next generation of school counselors. Her goals of advocacy and change agent continue to be instilled in her school counseling graduate students.
Laura has served as the Secretary, President-Elect, President, and current Past-President for Chapter VII of the Alabama Counseling Association (ALCA). She was honored by ALCA as the winner of both the Individual Publication Award (2020) and the Jean H. Cecil Outstanding Counselor Educator Award (2021). Additionally, in years of service to ALCA, Laura has chaired and co-chaired the Annual Awards Breakfast that occurs as the kick-off event for the ALCA conference. A recent newcomer to the Governing Board of
the Alabama School Counselor Association, Laura currently serves as President-Elect-Elect.
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Amy Upton Immediate Past President Budget and Finance Committee Elections Committee Chair Government and Interprofessional Relations Committee Assistant Chair Professional Development Committee |
Dr. Amy Upton passionately believes in the importance of the profession of school counseling and the impact that school counselors can have on students. Her primary research interests are centered around professional identity for school counselors, best practices in school counselor training and practice including ASCA model implementation, as well as enhancing advocacy and multicultural competencies within school counselors, and examining resiliency factors and the development of these factors in our youth. A key component of her work centers around collaboration with practicing school counselors, local school districts and stakeholders at the state level. Dr. Upton currently serves as an Assistant Professor and School Counseling Coordinator at the University of South Alabama. She has served on the ALSCA board since 2016, serves on the boards of ALCA and Chapter VIII, and is a member of the Evidenced Based School Counseling Advisory Board. Prior to moving to Alabama in 2013 to teach at USA, she spent 15 years as a middle school and high school counselor in Virginia and also taught adjunct at Old Dominion University.
Dr. Upton lives in Fairhope and when she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her children and grandson, enjoying the beaches, and spending time with friends.
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Jamie Haley Secretary Professional Development Committee |
Jamie Haley is a school counselor at Minor Middle School in Jefferson County Schools. She earned her B.A. in English and her M.Ed. in School Counseling from The College of William and Mary. Prior to moving to Alabama, she spent 13 years as a middle school counselor in Virginia and served as secretary of the Prince William Regional Counselors Association, a chapter of the Virginia Counselors Association, during a period of membership revitalization. In 2020, she and her counseling team at Katherine Johnson Middle School, formerly known as Lanier Middle, earned the Re-RAMP award from the American School Counselor Association. She is a National Certified Counselor and has served as a conference presenter and a newsletter contributor, mainly focusing on her passion for school-family-community partnerships.
Jamie lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her partner Brannon. In her spare time she enjoys dancing, traveling, and loving on her two dogs.
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Winnie Davis Treasurer Budget and Finance Committee Chair Professional Development Committee |
Winnie Davis, M.A., LPC, RPT, NCC, NBCT, is a middle school counselor in the Hoover City School system. A graduate of The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Winnie obtained her B.S. in Psychology (1996) and her M.A. in Agency Counseling (2000). Before becoming a school counselor, Winnie spent 6 years counseling children/adolescents who experienced physical and/or sexual abuse, and 3 years as an intervention/behavioral counselor helping foster families.
A school counselor since 2006, at both the elementary and middle school levels, Winnie is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Registered Play Therapist (RPT), National Certified Counselor (NCC) and National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) in School Counseling. Giving back to the counseling profession, Winnie has served on the Governing Board for the Alabama School Counselor Association since 2014 as Membership Assistant Chair, ALCA Awards Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Winnie also volunteers as a mentor to others looking to further their counseling career.
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Lisa Butler Historian Communications Committee Assistant Chair (Social Media) Professional Development Committee |
Lisa Butler is a national certified, licensed professional counselor with Oneonta City Schools. She previously spent nine years with Blount County Schools and two years with Etowah County Schools. Lisa graduated from the University of Montevallo with her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in counseling, as well as the University of Alabama with her educational specialist degree in counselor education. She is in her sixth year with the Alabama School Counselor Association Executive Board, and is serving her second year as the historian. She previously served in various roles such as secretary (two years), hospitality co-chair and professional development committee member.
Lisa also has her own practice, where she sees clients ranging from four years of age to adults. She resides in Snead with her husband. She enjoys spending time with family, working on the farm, and crafting in her spare time.
Governing Board Members
Rebecca Johnson
VP Preschool/Elementary School
Communications Committee Chair (Advocacy and Newsletter)
Professional Development Committee
Casey Lancaster
VP Middle/Junior High School
Professional Development Committee
Autumn Rowe
VP High School
Professional Recognition Committee (Awards Luncheon)
Professional Development Committee
April Tolbert
VP Counselor Supervisor
Professional Development Committee
Nancy Fox
Parliamentarian
Bylaws Committee Chair
Professional Development Committee
Sheryl Smith
Communications Committee Assistant Chair (National School Counseling Week, Poster and Essay Contest)
Professional Development Committee
Malti Tuttle
Government and Interprofessional Relations Committee Chair
Professional Development Committee
Darlene Lewis
Membership Committee Chair
Professional Development Committee
Malinda Gray
Membership Committee Assistant Chair
Professional Development Committee
Shelly Johnson
Professional Development Committee Chair
Laura Reina
Professional Development Committee Assistant Chair
Robbie Durr
Professional Development Committee Assistant Chair
Ben Graham
Professional Recognition Committee Chair
Professional Development Committee
Shelly Mitchell
Professional Recognition Committee Assistant Chair
Professional Development Committee
Monica Mack
Professional Recognition Committee (ALCA Awards)
Professional Development Committee
Amy Davis
Research Committee Chair
Professional Development Committee
Monica Motley
ALCA Journal Manuscript Reviewer
Cindy Davis
Alabama School Counseling Program of Distinction Liaison
Sean Stevens
Alabama State Department of Education Liaison
Zach McCraw
Hospitality Committee Chair
Professional Development Committee
Katrina Morris
Hospitality Committee Assistant Chair
Professional Development Committee
Jen Elliott
Graduate Student Representative
Professional Development Committee
Lexie Greer
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Special Committee Chair
Professional Development Committee
Additional Professional Development Committee Members
Kim Bailey
Sydney Bireley
Alfreda Brown
Tina Evans
Chardae Franklin
Debbie Grant
Kathleen Keelin
Cathy Lankford
Erika Leonard
Renita Matthews
Ann Smith
Patti Tanner
Nominations & Election Procedure
“Officers shall be elected annually by ballot at the ALCA Annual Conference. The results shall be announced in the next issue of the “The Alabama School Counselor.” Officers (with the exception of Treasurer) shall serve one year, May 1 – April 30. (Bylaws Article III.1.c)”
“The Nominations and Elections Committee will solicit nominations in the summer issues of “The Alabama School Counselor”, members to be considered for office. The committee shall then submit a slate of nominees for election as stated in Article III. The Immediate Past-President shall serve as the chairperson of the committee.” (Bylaws Article V.2.f.)
The following timeline is recommended for election procedures:
- Call for nominations
- August 31st — Nomination Deadline
- September 15th – Deadline for Nomination Packets to be submitted
- Presentation of Candidates
- October 15th – Candidates presented electronically
- Candidates presented at the ALCA Annual Conference (ALSCA Awards Luncheon and/or Division Meeting)
- Election
- ALCA Annual Conference – Voting Begins
- December 20th – Voting Closes
- Announcement of new ALSCA Officers
- January 10th
Officers to be elected each year:
- President-Elect-Elect
- Secretary
- Historian
Officer to be elected every other year:
- Treasurer
The Immediate Past President shall, with the approval of the President and Governing Board, appoint a committee of no fewer than three persons representing diverse geographical areas of the state. From nominations submitted the committee will select two (if possible) candidates for each office prior to annual conference.
Candidates’ resumes and statements should be submitted to the newsletter editor for publication in the newsletter distributed prior to the election. Election Guidelines should be published and made available to candidates.
Ballots are to be made available to all members. An appropriate due date for ballots shall be specified in the ballot instruction. The committee should strictly adhere to the date announced for final vote counting.
Each candidate for ALSCA office must submit a complete resume and provide the following material in the order presented. All materials must be submitted in final form and according to instructions.
- Nominee Name:
- Candidate for office of:
- Nominated by:
- Nominee’s Address:
- Nominee’s Phone Number:
ALCA Chapter:
- Current Position and Location
- Nominee’s American School Counselor Association member number
- Resume (200 words) Education:
- Professional/Leadership Experience:
- Association Leadership: Memberships: Awards/Certification/Publications CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT (150 words)
Election Guidelines
Electioneering and campaigning should be kept at a minimum and in accord with the following guideline:
- The Association, and its affiliate, shall not engage in the practice of budgeting and/or appropriating organizational funds for support of any candidate for any ALCA or ALSCA office.
- The Association and its candidates shall not engage in the practice of accepting campaign funds and /or other campaign support from commercial firms, corporations and/or foundations.
- Written candidacy information shall be limited to the election issue of the ALCA “Quarterly”, “The Alabama School Counselor”, and/or the ALSCA ballot. A candidate or their representative (e.g. brochures, letters, etc.) may not disseminate formal written information. Oral information about candidates will be confined to personal communication among members, not involving campaign speakers, telephone trees, and other formal campaign activities.
Violation of these policies will subject the candidate to possible invalidation of eligibility as a candidate; authority to withdraw a candidate rests with the Nomination and Elections Committee with ratification by the Governing Board.
Any member/candidate charged with violating the written Nominations and Elections policies approved by the Governing Board shall be given notice of the precise nature of the charge, shall be given the opportunity to confront witnesses, and shall have the right to appeal and have a hearing before the Governing Board whose decision shall be final. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall consider any charges made on the signature of five members in good standing and shall have the power to determine whether the charges shall be dropped, whether the charges are true and if found to be true, shall have the power to disqualify the member/candidate and cancel his/her eligibility as a candidate in the election, subject however to the right of any such member to appeal to the Governing Board from any final decision of the Nominations and Elections Committee.
Honor Roll of Past Presidents
1970-1971 – Mary McKinnon
1971-1972 – Herman Griffin
1972-1973 – William Jenkins
1973-1974 – Jimmy Jones
1974-1975 – Rae Sykes
1975-1976 – Minnie Jackson
1976-1977 – Dean Byrd
1977-1978 – Thelma Robinson
1978-1979 – Mike Burgan
1979-1980 – Jerry Daly
1980-1981 – Harriette Huckaby
1981-1982 – Barbara Mayer
1982-1983 – Thelma Robinson
1983-1984 – Eddie Ruth Dean
1984-1985 – Frances Manning
1985-1986 – Judy Childress
1986-1987 – Jean Davis
1987-1988 – Gloris Peterson
1988-1989 – Margaret “Meg” Smith
1989-1990 – Anita Sherman
1990-1991 – Gay Rutherford
1991-1992 – Jane Smith
1992-1993 – Sandy Magnuson
1993-1994 – Wynelle Sewell
1994-1995 – Diane McWain
1995-1996 – Nicki Graham
1996-1997 – Glenda Reynolds
1997-1998 – Nancy Cole
1998-1999 – Carol Turner
1999-2000 – Lynn Cooper
2000-2001 – Annette Bohannan
2001-2002 – Angie Stansell
2002-2003 – Stephanie Rogers Howard
2003-2004 – Carol Turner
2004-2005 – Angie Stansell
2005-2006 – Jerri Lynn Morrow
2006-2007 – Marty Hulsey
2007-2008 – Katharine Nichols
2008-2009 – Nancy Fox
2009-2010 – Nancy Wolfe
2010-2011 – Donna Clark
2011-2012 – Jennifer Riddle
2012-2013 – LaWanda Edwards
2013-2014 – Monica Mack
2014-2015 – Shelly Johnson
2015-2016 – Debbie Grant
2016-2017 – Emily Rich
2017-2018 – Maegan Vick
2018-2019 – AnnaGrace Baldwin
2019-2020 – LaWanda Edwards
2020-2021 – Casey Lancaster
2021-2022 – Amy Upton