TLPCA Student Representatives

Keilee Daubon is a graduate student pursuing an M.S. in Counseling with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Austin Peay State University. She received her B.S. in Psychological Science and Counseling from Austin Peay State University. Psychology and counseling have been her passion since middle school, and she is particularly driven toward working with children and specializing in play therapy. She worked at a child learning center during her undergraduate program, and she currently works as a graduate assistant in Austin Peay’s Psychological Science and Counseling Department. She is looking forward to her future career as a counselor and excited to be a student representative of TLPCA.

Cory Bishop earned his Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from Belmont University in 2022 with a focus on Marriage and Family Therapy. He is practicing part-time as a MFT (Trainee) at Austin & Olive Counseling in Nashville, while working full-time as the Field Experience Coordinator in Belmont University’s School of Mental Health Counseling where he is also a full-time PhD student in Counselor Education and Supervision. Cory’s research focus lies at the intersection between technology/media and what it means to be fully human. Integrative in his approach with individual, couple, and adolescent clients, Cory draws from myriad theories that are client and client-system centered in scope.

Hi! My name is Lucy Lakins and I am a second-year graduate student at Carson Newman University. I received my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from East Tennessee State University and my Associate of Science in Psychology from Walters State Community College. I am an ASCA student member and am currently completing practicum hours at a local middle school. I have previously worked as a college and career advisor for the Niswonger Foundation in their CARE program. I have a strong passion for college and career exploration and my long-term goal is to work as a school counselor in a high school setting. In my free time I love to spend time with my friends and family and streaming my favorite comfort movies and/ or TV shows like New Girl and the Parent Trap.

Alex Bowers is a dedicated graduate student in the East Tennessee State University Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from East Tennessee State University, which she earned in 2022. Driven by a profound passion for helping, Alex’s academic and professional pursuits are centered around working with underserved populations. Her special interests are focused on incarcerated individuals, veterans, and marginalized communities. She is committed to making a meaningful impact on the lives of these groups by providing mental health support, counseling, and advocacy. Beyond her academic commitments, Alex values her time with her husband and three cats, reading books, and binge-watching TV series.

My name is Jasmine Jacquez, and I am a second year graduate student pursing an M.A in Counseling with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at East Tennessee State University. I received my B.S in Psychology from Milligan University in 2022. I currently work as a research graduate assistant for one of my professors in the counseling program at ETSU. On the side, I work two other jobs, one in retail and one as a dog sitter. I am wanting to pursue a career in correctional counseling once I graduate. I am hoping to help a population that is overlooked and work toward fixing the system regarding the mental health help that inmates receive and the stigma around it. I have a research interest in neuropsychology, as well as, wanting to pursue a future PhD in the subject.

Hannah Koster is a graduate student at Johnson University in Knoxville, Tennessee. She is working towards her master’s degree in in clinical mental health counseling. She received her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Johnson University in 2021. Hannah is also a member of the American Counseling Association. She was born and raised in East Tennessee and has a desire to help the community she has grown up in. She enjoys working with individuals and families, providing support and care to those in need. In her free time, she enjoys reading, being outside, traveling to new places, and spending time her family.

Ethel Ding is pursuing an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Johnson University. She graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan University in 2022 with a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy and a B.S. in Psychology. As with most mental health professionals, she has a heart for walking with individuals through difficult times, which she is getting to do through her current internship. During her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, cooking, and spending time with friends.

I’m Lexie Taylor and I am a graduate student at Lipscomb University for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I’m originally from St. Charles, IL (western suburb of Chicago) and moved to Nashville in 2015 to attend Lipscomb where I received my bachelors in Middle Grades Mathematics Education in 2019. I taught in Metro Nashville Public Schools for 3 years before going back to Lipscomb and starting the mental health counseling program. Teaching is what helped me discover my passion for mental health, as I saw so many needs go unmet for students and families. My current populations of interest right now are students and their families, college students (especially those first gens!), and emerging / young adults. I also am passionate about serving those going through life transitions. Change can be exciting, but it can still be difficult to work through the grief and anxiety related to change. I love an existential approach to counseling, as I wholeheartedly agree with the ideas of freedom, responsibility, and choice of attitude in all circumstances. I also enjoy learning about the family systems theory and the role in which each person plays in their family dynamic to maintain homeostasis. In my free time I love to read, cook, travel, and exercise in the form of yoga, swimming, or long walks with my husband and dog!

Christi Johnson is a graduate student at Lipscomb University, studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Play Therapy. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Arkansas State University in 2021. Christi is passionate about advocating for children and families and hopes to work primarily with children who have experienced trauma and abuse. She is also a member of Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society and the American Counseling Association. In her personal time, she enjoys martial arts, traveling, kayaking, baking, remodeling her home, and quality time with her husband.

Christian Williams is a graduate student studying Professional Counseling at Middle Tennessee State University. He has a concentration in Clinical Mental Health, with the goal of becoming a licensed professional counselor. Lastly, he enjoys spending time with family and making his loved-ones proud.

Kit Donovan is an Ed.S. Candidate in the Professional Counseling program at Middle Tennessee State University, where she works as a Graduate Assistant and Student Ambassador. Kit also serves as the Advocacy Chair for Chi Sigma Iota (CSI) Mu Tau Upsilon chapter. She is seeking a career as both a School Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor, able to do so through MTSU’s unique program. She originally graduated from MTSU in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology and minors in Sociology and Mental Health Services. Before deciding to pursue a career as a counselor, Kit gained experience working with individuals of all ages in educational, inpatient, and outpatient settings. She has a particular interest in polyvagal theory, somatic therapy, animal-assisted therapy, and ecotherapy. In their free time, Kit enjoys songwriting, painting, working out, and going for walks with her dog and partner.

I am Maria Makary, a graduate student at Middle Tennessee State University pursuing an Eds degree in professional clinical mental health counseling and I’m enrolled in the clinical counseling path of the program. I am also employed as a graduate assistant at the Educational Leadership Department on Campus. I earned my undergraduate degree from MTSU in 2021 from the college of behavioral health science. My major was in Psychology, and I have two minors of Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology (SLPA) and Arabic. I am Egyptian-American, I was born and raised in Egypt and moved to the United States with my family back in 2014. Before pursuing my graduate degree, I gained experience in the Applied Behavior Analysis field as a behavior therapist where I worked in ABA clinics delivering services to children who are on the Autism spectrum. My goal is to help individuals in need from various populations through my expanding knowledge and expertise in the profession and my long-term goal is to have my own practice one day.

Josiah is in his second year at Milligan University getting a degree in Clinical Mental Health with an emphasis in addictions. Josiah received his Bachelor’s degree in Church Leadership from Milligan. Josiah is currently a Graduate Assistant working in Milligan’s Counseling Center and plans to work in a local private practice after graduation. Josiah loves to connect with others and has yet to find a demographic of folks he isn’t passionate about. If you find Josiah on a Saturday afternoon you may find him playing soccer or pickleball, camping, enjoying a book at a coffee shop, or riding his bike.

Alyssa Curtis is in her first year at Tennessee Technological University in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. She received her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Eastern Illinois University and a Master’s in Community Health Education from the University of West Florida. She lived on the Gulf Coast before deciding to swap the beach for the hills of Tennessee. After working in nonprofits and the corporate world for a few years, Alyssa decided to return to her goal of becoming a licensed professional counselor. She is particularly interested in grief, loss, and ecotherapy. Alyssa enjoys hiking and exploring the woods with her husband and two dogs and trying new restaurants and coffeeshops.

Lara Strate is a doctoral student at Tennessee Tech University in the Counselor Education and Supervision program. She grew up in Germany and received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Saarland University. Lara completed the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Tennessee Tech with her Master’s degree. Currently, Lara is the Secretary/Treasurer of her local chapter of the honors society Chi Sigma Iota and works as a Graduate Assistant at the Counseling Center at Tennessee Tech University. She enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, going for hikes with her dog, and doing yoga.

Ravi Patel is a doctoral student at Tennessee Tech University in the Counselor Education and Supervision program. Ravi is currently employed with Tennessee Tech in their Counseling Center as the Clinical Coordinator. He is actively involved in helping students on campus as well with serving on several committees for the university. He obtained his Master’s degree from Tennessee Tech University in Counselor Education and Educational Psychology. Ravi is currently licensed in Tennessee with his LPC-MHSP and is actively involved in the Cookeville community in private practice.

Brooklyn Meadows is in her first year at Tennessee Technological University in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. She received her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and a Master’s in English. After several years of teaching Sixth Grade Math at Jackson County Middle School then English Composition at Tennessee Tech University, she decided to transition her helping career towards becoming a licensed professional counselor. Currently, Brooklyn works as a Graduate Assistant at Tennessee Tech University. She enjoys going on hikes with her dog, playing volleyball and pickleball with her friends and writing poetry and fiction.

Logan was born and raised in the Bay Area, California, and moved to Tennessee in 2021. He holds five associate degrees (yes, he’s a collector!) and earned his Bachelor’s in Psychology with a minor in Statistics from CSU Sacramento. After beginning his career in the technology field, Logan discovered a passion for supporting others in their personal growth and transitioned into the mental health field. He is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Trevecca Nazarene University.

Logan enjoys spending time outdoors—whether mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, or kayaking. At home, he loves hanging out with his rescue puppy, Otto, and his wife, Natalie. Logan also continues to work as a data engineer, combining his love for programming and problem-solving with his passion for video games and tech exploration.

Haylee Duncan is a first year Master’s student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she is working toward her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She received her Bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Tennessee in 2018. There she found her love of sociology, social justice, and discovered what the power of equity can mean within our social systems. Upon graduating, she hopes to work with marginalized populations as well as at-risk youth, specifically communities targeted by religious persecution, racial bias, and economic disenfranchisement. She is honored to be a student representative for the TLPCA and is looking forward to spreading knowledge to her peers and beyond. Though being a full-time master’s student keeps her pretty busy, in her spare time she enjoys playing with her dog, Thanos, and her niece, Rosa. She loves a good movie and can be found at her local bookstore indulging in a mystery novel in her free time.

Hi! My name is Victoria LeBruno and I am a graduate student at the University of Tennessee – Martin in the clinical mental health counseling program. I received my Bachelor of Science in elementary education from the University of Central Florida. Currently, I am the Response to Intervention-Academics (RTI-A) Facilitator at an elementary school in Hamilton County where I live with my partner and our adorable, 3 pound, yorkie Oakley. I am extremely passionate about working with children and adolescents, and I look forward to being able to work with this population in the future within the mental health field. In my free time, I enjoy spending time outside (in the cooler weather), playing video and board games, reading, crafting, and more.

Katherine Hales is a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Vanderbilt University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the College of William and Mary in 2020. Her career as a mental health professional began with internships for the Viva Center in D.C. and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which she completed during her undergraduate studies. Before beginning her graduate degree at Vanderbilt she worked at multiple residential treatment centers in the Washington D.C. area that offered services for adults with substance use disorders, adolescents with eating disorders, and adolescents with behavioral and mental health disorders. She is excited to further her professional and academic career through Vanderbilt’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program and looks forward to pursuing licensure upon her graduation in December of 2023.