The Role of AMHCA and CACREP in the Counseling Profession

Dr. M. Sylvia Fernandez, CACREP President and CEO, was a counselor educator and administrator for 29 years. She has extensive professional service and leadership experience in state, national, and international counseling professional organizations. Her publications and presentations are in the areas of multicultural issues in counseling and related disciplines, counselor education and credentialing, professional identity and ethics, and clinical supervision.

Dr. Beverly Smith is the Interim CEO/ED of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) and a Past President. She is a change agent for Re-Imagining AMHCA for growth and sustainability.  Dr. Smith commissioned AMHCA’s Council and AMHCA’s Counseling Compact Taskforce. Currently, she serves as an ex-officio member of the Counseling Compact Commission and the Executive Committee as the AMHCA representative.  Additionally, Dr. Smith commissioned the AMHCA’s Multicultural & Social Justice Committee (MSJ), and the MSJ Fellow Credential as a few of her accomplishments with AMHCA.

She has over 28 years of experience in the Mental Healthcare field working with individuals across the lifespan. Smith has worked in numerous settings to include higher education as an adjunct professor, community counseling, corrections, public education, faith-based organizations, and in private practice at BSmith Consulting Group, LLC (a Behavioral Healthcare Firm established in 2009).

Dr. Beverly is licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the States of Georgia and Alabama. She is a member of several professional and service organizations. Dr. Smith has been presented with awards to include, but not limited to, the ACA of Alabama Dr. Fannie Richardson Cooley Award for Distinguished Professional Development and the prestigious Georgia Secretary of State Outstanding Georgia Citizen Award by the Secretary of Georgia, Georgia Senate, and Georgia Lt. Governor.